- Margaret Okayo
-
Okayo running in the 2005 London Marathon
Margaret Okayo (born May 30, 1976 in Masaba, Kisii District) is a professional marathon runner from Kenya. She has won a number of major marathons, including the New York City Marathon (three times), the Boston Marathon, and the London Marathon. She has also won the San Diego Marathon on two occasions.
Okayo started running while at primary school. She graduated from the Itierio Secondary School, located near Kisii town, in 1993. She was recruited by Kenya Prisons Service, home to the country's top women's marathon runners, in 1995 where she nurtured her running career.[1]
At the 1998 Commonwealth Games she finished fifth in 10,000 metres. She finished thirteenth at the 1999 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.
Amongst her most successful races are the wins at the New York Marathon in 2001 and 2003, the Boston Marathon in 2002 and the London Marathon in 2004. She still holds the course records at the New York Marathon and the Boston Marathon.
Other marathons won by Okayo include Milan in 2003, San Diego in 2000 and 2001. She represented her native Kenya in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, but did not finish the marathon. She spends three months of every year training in Italy.
She won the 2003 Udine Half Marathon and finished third at the 2008 Rome-Ostia Half Marathon.[2][3]
Okayo is of the Gusii tribe. She is managed by Federico Rosa and coached by Gabriele Rosa. She is just 152 cm tall and weighs 43 kilograms.
Achievements
- All results regarding marathon, unless stated otherwise
Year Competition Venue Position Notes Representing 
Kenya1999 Chicago Marathon Chicago, United States 2nd 2:26:00 2000 Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon San Diego, United States 1st 2:27:05 New York City Marathon New York, United States 3rd 2:26:36 2001 Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon San Diego, United States 1st 2:25:05 New York City Marathon New York, United States 1st 2:24:21 2002 Boston Marathon Boston, United States 1st 2:20:43 Milan Marathon Milan, Italy 1st 2:24:59 2003 Boston Marathon Boston, United States 4th 2:27:39 New York City Marathon New York, United States 1st 2:22:31 2004 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 1st 2:22:35 Olympic Games Athens, Greece — DNF New York City Marathon New York, United States 4th 2:26:31 2005 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 4th 2:25:22 2006 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 9th 2:29:16 References
- IAAF profile for Margaret Okayo
- IAAF: Focus on Athletes
- ^ http://allafrica.com/stories/200705310245.html
- ^ IAAF website, September 30, 2008: Italian road race season off to flying start with Bekele and Okayo
- ^ IAAF website, February 28, 2008: Women’s course record goes at Rome-Ostia Half Marathon with 1:09 run
External links
London Women's Marathon Winners 1981–2: Joyce Smith (GBR) · 1983: Grete Waitz (NOR) · 1984-5: Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) · 1986: Grete Waitz (NOR) · 1987–8: Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) · 1989: Véronique Marot (GBR) · 1990: Wanda Panfil (POL) · 1991: Rosa Mota (POR) · 1992–4: Katrin Dörre (GER) · 1995: Małgorzata Sobańska (POL) · 1996: Liz McColgan (GBR) · 1997: Joyce Chepchumba (KEN) · 1998: Catherina McKiernan (IRL) · 1999: Joyce Chepchumba (KEN) · 2000: Tegla Loroupe (KEN) · 2001: Derartu Tulu (ETH) · 2002–3: Paula Radcliffe (GBR) · 2004: Margaret Okayo (KEN) · 2005: Paula Radcliffe (GBR) · 2006: Deena Kastor (USA) · 2007: Zhou Chunxiu (CHN) · 2008-9: Irina Mikitenko (GER) · 2010: Liliya Shobukhova (RUS)
World Marathon Majors: Berlin Marathon - List (M/W) · Boston Marathon - List (M/W) · Chicago Marathon - List (M/W) · London Marathon - List (M/W) · New York City Marathon - List (M/W) New York City Women's Marathon Winners 1971: Beth Bonner (USA) · 1972–1973: Nina Kuscsik (USA) · 1974: Kathrine Switzer (USA) · 1975: Kim Merritt (USA) · 1976–1977: Miki Gorman (USA) · 1978–1980: Grete Waitz (NOR) · 1981: Allison Roe (NZL) · 1982–1986: Grete Waitz (NOR) · 1987: Priscilla Welch (GBR) · 1988: Grete Waitz (NOR) · 1989: Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) · 1990: Wanda Panfil (POL) · 1991: Liz McColgan (GBR) · 1992: Lisa Ondieki (AUS) · 1993: Uta Pippig (GER) · 1994–1995: Tegla Loroupe (KEN) · 1996: Anuţa Cătună (ROM) · 1997: Franziska Rochat-Moser (SUI) · 1998: Franca Fiacconi (ITA) · 1999: Adriana Fernández (MEX) · 2000: Lyudmila Petrova (RUS) · 2001: Margaret Okayo (KEN) · 2002: Joyce Chepchumba (KEN) · 2003: Margaret Okayo (KEN) · 2004: Paula Radcliffe (GBR) · 2005–2006: Jeļena Prokopčuka (LAT) · 2007–2008: Paula Radcliffe (GBR) · 2009: Derartu Tulu (ETH) · 2010: Edna Kiplagat (KEN) · 2011: Firehiwot Dado (ETH)
World Marathon Majors: Berlin Marathon - List (M/W) · Boston Marathon - List (M/W) · Chicago Marathon - List (M/W) · London Marathon - List (M/W) · New York City Marathon - List (M/W) Boston Women's Marathon Winners 1966–1968: Bobbi Gibb (USA) · 1969–1971: Sara Mae Berman (USA) · 1972: Nina Kuscsik (USA) · 1973: Jacqueline Hansen (USA) · 1974: Miki Gorman (USA) · 1975: Liane Winter (FRG) · 1976: Kim Merritt (USA) · 1977: Miki Gorman (USA) · 1978: Gayle Barron (USA) · 1979: Joan Benoit (USA) · 1980: Jacqueline Gareau (CAN) · 1981: Allison Roe (NZL) · 1982: Charlotte Teske (FRG) · 1983: Joan Benoit (USA) · 1984: Lorraine Moller (NZL) · 1985: Lisa Larsen Weidenbach (USA) · 1986: Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) · 1987–1988: Rosa Mota (POR) · 1989: Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) · 1990: Rosa Mota (POR) · 1991: Wanda Panfil (POL) · 1992–1993: Olga Markova (RUS) · 1994–1996: Uta Pippig (GER) · 1997–1999: Fatuma Roba (ETH) · 2000–2001: Catherine Ndereba (KEN) · 2002: Margaret Okayo (KEN) · 2003: Svetlana Zakharova (RUS) · 2004–2005: Catherine Ndereba (KEN) · 2006: Rita Jeptoo (KEN) · 2007: Lidiya Grigoryeva (RUS) · 2008: Dire Tune (ETH) · 2009: Salina Kosgei (KEN) · 2010: Teyba Erkesso (ETH) · 2011: Caroline Kilel (KEN)
World Marathon Majors: Berlin Marathon - List (M/W) · Boston Marathon - List (M/W) · Chicago Marathon - List (M/W) · London Marathon - List (M/W) · New York City Marathon - List (M/W) San Diego Women's Marathon Winners 1998: Nadezhda Ilyina (RUS) • 1999: Irina Bogachova (KGZ) • 2000 – 2001: Margaret Okayo (KEN) • 2002: Alice Chelangat (KEN) • 2003: Irina Bogachova (KGZ) • 2004: Tatyana Titova (RUS) • 2005: Gete Wami (ETH) • 2006: Alice Chelangat (KEN) • 2007: Hellen Jemaiyo Kimutai (KEN) • 2008 – 2010: Yulia Gromova (RUS) • 2011: Bizunesh Deba (ETH)
Categories:- 1976 births
- Living people
- Female long-distance runners
- Kenyan long-distance runners
- Marathon runners
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Olympic athletes of Kenya
- London Marathon winners
- Boston Marathon winners
- New York City Marathon winners
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
