MASAI Linet < Back  
Sport Athletics
CGA Kenya   
Gender Women
Born 05 Dec 1989
Height1.58 m
Weight 49 kg
Human Interest
Further Personal Information
Residence Iten, KEN
Sport Specific Information
Club / Team Kenya Police: Kenya
General Interest
Injuries She missed the 2010 Commonwealth Games after contracting malaria. (bbc.co.uk, 21 Dec 2010)
Famous relatives Her brother Moses is a long distance runner who won the 5000m and 10,000m at the 2005 African Junior Championships. Her younger brother Dennis was selected for the Kenyan team that went to the 2010 World Junior Championships in Canada. (iaaf.org, 01 Mar 2011)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport? She saw her older brother succeed in athletics and thought she could perform at the same level.
General Interest
Hero / Idol Catherine Ndereba. (iaaf.org, 01 Mar 2011)
Ambitions "I plan to keep running and winning through the distances, get records or medals all the way to the marathon." (iaaf.org, 01 Mar 2011)
Awards and honours She was given the Order of the Grand Warrior, one of the most prestigious awards in Kenya. She was also voted Kenyan Sportswoman of the Year in 2009. (iaaf.org, 01 Mar 2011)
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport? She began running seriously in 2005.
International Debut
Year 2007
Competing for Kenya
Tournament World Cross Country Championships
Location Mombasa
Further Personal Information
Occupation Police Officer
General Interest
Other information LATE BLOOMER
The school where she went as a child had no athletics track so she trained doing laps around a grassy field. Her school coach Ben Tumwet revealed how her talent was not spotted immediatily and how she nearly gave up on running. "I noticed the talent in Linet late," he said. "In 2005 she wanted to stop running. I said to her, please can you continue with your running. You will not know your future." (bbc.co.uk, 07 Jan 2011)

SECOND KENYAN WORLD CHAMP
She won the 10,000m at the 2009 world championships in Berlin becoming only the second Kenyan woman to win the title. (pacesportsmanagement.com, 12 Jan 2012, capitalfm.co.ke, 17 Aug 2011)