Kenya Air Force commander, Major General Fatuma Ahmed on Tuesday met Kenyan long-distance sensation Hellen Obiri.
The meeting was held at the Kenya Air
Force Headquarters in Nairobi.
The commander congratulated the two-time back-to-back Boston Marathon winner for outstanding achievements in Kenya’s sporting space.
Maj Gen Ahmed praised Obiri as a remarkable athlete, a leader, and an inspiring role model for the Kenya Air Force (KAF), the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), and the nation.
On her part, Obiri expressed gratitude to the Commander and KDF for the provision of conducive spaces that fostered her sustained victories in athletics in general.
The Commander applauded the improved discipline and commitment across all sports disciplines within the KDF.
She emphasised how important it is to recruit and nurture more athletes to uphold the strong sporting tradition in the KDF.
Obiri also shared her inspiring journey from pursuing excellence in middle-distance track events to dominating long-distance running.
She credited this shift to her ever-evolving athletic goals, driven by her age and the desire to challenge her endurance as a marathon runner.
The Kenyan–born US-based veteran athlete looks to put her name among four others who have already done a three-peat in the Boston Marathon.
"Defending a win is never easy and to win the Boston Marathon twice in a row was hard, but I am happy to have done it. On race day I will again push for the win and hope to make it three in a row,” Obiri said during a previous talk with World Athletics.
The three-peat is looming for the Marathon holder as she is already at base tirelessly working for the marathon scheduled for April 21, 2025.
Her athletic prowess will make her go down as one of the most prolific Kenyan athletes and a role model for young women looking for track excellence.
