Emmanuel Wanyonyi Says He Never Went To Nursery, Took Himself To Class 1: "Niliomba Uniform"

• Kenyan athlete Emmanuel Wanyonyi said he first stepped into the classroom when he took himself to Class One
• The middle-distance runner said he never went to nursery, and when he joined primary, he borrowed a school uniform from his friend
• The 20-year-old 2024 Diamond League winner in the men's 800m race said he went to school until Class 3

Nairobi - Kenyan middle-distance runner Emmanuel Wanyonyi has opened up about his early childhood.

The athlete shared a heartbreaking story of his challenging upbringing and how he manoeuvred through it.

When did Wanyonyi join Class 1?

The 2024 Diamond League winner in the men's 800m race said he never accessed education as his siblings did.

As he grew up, his siblings were lucky to attend school but they dropped out in Class Three or Four because of several challenges.

"No one took me to school. I always admired and wanted to learn, but because there were many at home and we had many challenges, it was not possible. I first stepped into school when I took myself to Class 1. I did not even begin from nursery but Class 1, which I took myself in 2011," he vividly recalled.

When did Wanyonyi join Class 3?

Wanyonyi said he borrowed the school uniform from a friend and did not mind whether it fit.

He was determined to get an education despite the circumstances back home, which were unfavourable.

"I went to Class 2 the following year and then Class 3 in 2013. I could not continue my education and had to drop out like most of my siblings and look for menial jobs like being a herdsman. I was even being chased out of school because of KSh 40, which my parents could not afford," the 20-year-old said.

Where is Emmanuel Wanyonyi from?

As young as he was, Wanyonyi from Trans-Nzoia county said he did the work wholeheartedly and was paid KSh 350 monthly.

He worked as a herdsman for that employer for only a month before being hired by a neighbour for the same work.

However, this came with some financial challenges, as his wages were KSh 150 less than he used to earn.

How much did Wanyonyi earn for winning gold?

As reported earlier, Wanyonyi earned $50,000 (Ksh 6.45 million) from World Athletics for winning a gold medal and Ksh 3 million from the Kenyan government.

In the Diamond League, he had two wins and a second-place finish. The wins came in Lausanne and Rabat, while his only defeat was in Paris just before the Olympics.

Winners in a series received $10,000 (Ksh 1.29 million), while second-place finishers got $8,000 (approximately Ksh 1 million).

Therefore, Wanyonyi earned Ksh2.3 million in the Diamond League.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke