Kenya has for years now dominated long distance running and track events, with the country's athletes holding several world records.
Most of these athletes come from humble backgrounds, with some having been forced to drop out of school.
TeamKenya takes a look at some of the biggest names who dropped out of school but found success on the track.
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Brigid Kosgei
Women's Marathon record holder, Brigid Kosgei, dropped out of school while at form three due to fee arrears.
Brigid comes from a family of seven children and were all raised by a single mother in the pastoralism county of Elgeyo - Marakwet.
At the age of 17, she was started earning from her running and was able to pay school fees for her younger siblings.
Currently Brigid is the holder of the 42KM marathon record.
Emanuel Wanyonyi
The World Under-20 800m champion, Emmanuel Wanyonyi, dropped out of school in Standard Three and took up a cattle tending job in order to earn a living.
Seven years later, a good samaritan came to his aid and paid his school fees, enabling him to complete his studies. During his time in school, he participated in the 3,000 metres steeplechase, 400 metres and 200 metres.
One of his teachers spotted his talent and helped him enroll for an athletics programme at the Janet Jepkosegi's Kapchemoiywo Training Camp.
Wanyonyi has since participated in multiple under 20 championships, winning two gold medals, two silver and one bronze.
During the last World Under-20 Championships held at Moi, Kasarani, he set a record time of 1:43.76 seconds in the 800m race.
Samuel Wanjiru
The 2008 Olympic Champion, the late Samuel Wanjiru, had a challenging childhood as he was forced to drop out of school at the age of 12 years.
However, his talent had already been spotted by one Francis Kamau, a coach with the Mutual Fair Exchanges Athletics Club.
Wanjiru, at the age of 14 years, had finished third in the Kenya National Primary Athletics Championships 10,000m race.
He later received an invitation to join Mt Kenya High Altitude Training Camp in Nyeri, where he was spotted by a Japanese athletics promoter, Sunnichi Kobayashi.
Since then, the marathoner broke multiple records before his tragic demise in May 2011.
Asbel Kiprop
Asbel Kiprop started running while at Simat Primary School at the age of 13 years. He, however, dropped out of school to concentrate on training.
Kiprop has had a bumpy career. In 2011, he became the first Kenyan to win the 1500m gold at the world championships in Daegu, South Korea.
The former Olympic and three-time world 1500m champion career drop came in 2019 after he failed a doping test leading to his suspension. He was accused of taking blood-boosting drug EPO.
His four-year ban ended in February 2, 2022, and he is set to make a comeback.
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