East African countries particularly Kenya and Ethiopia are known globally for their prowess in athletics.
Their athletes have broken several world records in the past with Letensebet Gidey and Eliud Kipchoge registering personal bests in the 10,000m and marathon disciplines.
However, very few people know the story of Tecla Chemabwai Sang.
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Chemabwai who was born and raised in Chepkunyuk, Nandi County was among the first three Kenyan women to take part in the Olympic Games at the 1968 edition staged in Mexico. The other two runners were Lydia Stevens and Elizabeth Chesire.
According to the athlete, she could not have been part of the contingent that travelled to Mexico if the Kenyan officials had not lied about her real age.
In a recent interview, Sang explained the main reason why her real age was altered to enable her to compete in the 1968 Olympic Games.
"The truth is that we lied. Back then, you couldn't get a passport unless you were 18 years old and above. They had to make us 18 in order for me to get a passport.
“That's why the date of birth given, and which remains online, is July 3, 1950. The Kenyan officials had to cheat and make me 18," she stated.
Chemabwai was born on February 3, 1954, and thus in 1968, she was 14 years old.
The retired athlete who used to run 22 kilometres to and from school added that the news of her qualifying for the Olympic games came as a surprise.
"My body was so tiny and this enabled me to run so fast. I used to run for fun and just to ensure I was defeating the other people in the race with me.
"Before I even knew what was going on, they told me that I had qualified for the 1968 Olympics. Lydia Stevens was in university at the time," she was quoted by Nation.
In Mexico, Chemabwai gave up even before the race started because she believed that whites were superior to Africans.
Her husband Julius Sang was part of the Kenyan squad that made history in the 1972 Olympic Games by winning the country’s first-ever 4 x 400m Olympic title.
Apart from Julius, the 4 x 400m relay team also had Munyoro Nyamau, Charles Asati and Robert Ouko.
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