Kenyan-Born Athlete Given Hero's Welcome In Bahrain After Winning Gold In Budapest: "My Country's Happy"

• Bahraini Winfred Yavi, originally from Kenya, received a triumphant homecoming as she returned to Bahrain following her spectacular victory in Budapest
• Winfred was greeted with a hero's welcome at the Bahrain Athletics Association (BAA) headquarters in Riffa, where she was honoured by top officials
• She expressed her heartfelt appreciation for the unwavering support she has received from the Bahrain Olympic Committee and the Bahrain Athletics Association

Bahraini athletic sensation Winfred Yavi, returned home to a hero's welcome following her historic victory at the World Athletics Championships 2023.

Winfred Yavi grated with grand reception

The 23-year-old Kenyan-born athlete secured the gold medal in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, marking the pinnacle of her career.

News of Bahrain reported upon her return to Bahrain, Winfred was greeted with a grand reception at the Bahrain Athletics Association (BAA) headquarters in Riffa.

Speaking about her recent victory, Winfred expressed her gratitude and determination, stating,

"Getting the world championship gold medal this year means a lot. I feel I have made a big achievement in my life. I have been working hard trying to get this medal, and I thank God right now. This is a big achievement for me."

Her gold medal-winning time in Budapest, 8:4.:29, not only marked the world's fastest time in 2023 but also stands as the fourth-quickest all-time and a new personal best.

Bahrain athletics committee confident in Yavi

Acknowledging her coach Gregory Kilonzo's role in her success, Winfred emphasised the importance of learning from past experiences and continued hard work.

She also praised the Bahrain Olympic Committee and the Bahrain Athletics Association for their unwavering support throughout her career.

"World Championships is difficult. Right now, my country, Bahrain, is happy. I know they are excited right now because this is a big title for them," she said.

Dignitaries and sports officials attended the event. Officials from the Bahrain athletics community expressed confidence in Winfred's future prospects,

The BAA's Bader Nasser highlighted her remarkable progression from a time of nine minutes 20 seconds to her recent record-breaking performance.

What are Yavi's plans?

Tahar Righi echoed this sentiment, noting Winfred's immense potential and predicting further achievements, possibly even the world record.

Despite her triumphant return, Winfred's schedule remains packed with commitments. She is set to fly to Switzerland to participate in the Weltklasse Zurich Diamond League meeting.

She will continue her busy outdoor athletics season, culminating in the Diamond League finale in Eugene, Oregon, in mid-September.

Following this, she will represent Bahrain at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, aiming to succeed in both the women's 3,000m steeplechase and the women's 1,500m events.

Winfred has her sights set on future goals, including the Paris Olympics in 2024 and breaking the world record in the steeplechase.

Cherargei unhappy with Kenya's performance in Hungry

Earlier, Nandi senator Kiprotich Cherargei was unhappy with Kenya's performance in the World Athletics Championships that ended on Sunday, August 27, in Budapest, Hungary.

Kenya emerged at position five in the world and the best in Africa in the competitions that saw 195 countries plus the Athlete Refuge Team compete.

Taking to his social media accounts, Cherargei said that Kenya's performance, which saw the country clinch three gold medals, three silver medals and four bronze medals, was poor.

Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, was among athletes who had a disappointing finish in the 100m finals at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

Omanyala received words of comfort and encouragement from his wife, Laventa Amutavi, in a heartwarming post on Instagram.