Pamela Jelimo (born 5 December 1989) is a Kenyan middle-distance runner, specialising in the 800 metres. She won the gold medal in 800 metres at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing at the age of 18. She is the first Kenyan woman to win an Olympic gold medal and also the first Kenyan to win the Golden League Jackpot. She holds both the 800 m world junior record and the senior African record over the same distance. Jelimo is also one of the youngest women to win an Olympic gold medal for Kenya.
Early life Pamela Jelimo was born in Kiptomok village, Nandi District, Rift Valley Province. Her mother, Esther Cheptoo Keter, was a promising 200 metres and 400 metres runner, but the customs of the Nandi tribe meant that as the last-born daughter she could not marry and had to care for her parents in their old age. However, she was allowed to bear children to different men; thus, Jelimo was raised by her mother in a family of three brothers and six sisters. Jelimo began running in 2003, aged 13, at Koyo Secondary in the Kaptumo division, near Kapsabet. She quickly established herself as an accomplished athlete, winning at schools' championships in the 100 metres, 200 m, 400 m, 800 metres, 400 metres hurdles, and heptathlon. Her high school games teacher Philip Ng'eno remarked that she used to compete with the boys in sprint events as the girls did not provide the competition she needed.
The family was poor and struggled to pay the fees to send Jelimo to secondary school – her two older siblings had already dropped out as they were unable to meet the costs. She refused to quit and began selling milk from the family cattle to pay her fees, traversing steep slopes on foot to sell it at Chemase market. The school headmaster Daniel Maru donated money for track suits and running shoes so that Jelimo could attend Kenya's centre of excellence for distance running. By 2004, Jelimo had reached the local provincial championships in the 400 m. Maru continued his generosity, allowing the young athlete to graduate while she still owed one year's worth of fees. Still, her mother was forced to sell her last cow so Jelimo could take her exams. Her family always supported her education.
In June 2007 she finished fifth in the 400 metres race at the Kenyan Championships with a time of 55.82 seconds. She kept improving throughout the season, winning the 400 metres gold medal at the African Junior Championships with a finish of 54.93 s and setting a Kenyan national junior record in the 200 m with 24.68 s. Jelimo was pleased with her accomplishments but her new coach Zaid Kipkemboi Aziz suggested that she change to 800 m, stating that she would perform best over the longer distance. She began working for the Kenyan police force and was training with fellow Kenyan runner Janeth Jepkosgei.
Jelimo ran her first 800 metres race on 19 April 2008 at the Kenyan trials for the African championships, clocking 2:01.02 minutes. Despite her budding athletics career, she continued to work at the Embu Police station as a police constable, earning KSh.11,000/= a month (roughly €100).
Breakthrough and Olympic Gold 2008 She made her breakthrough at the 2008 African Championships in Athletics aged 18.Powell, David (4 May 2008) Chelimo defeats Mutola, K. Bekele takes 5000m - African Championships, final day IAAF Retrieved on 14 December 2008 Her time, 1:58.70, was a new national junior record. On 25 May 2008 she won 800 metres at the Hengelo Grand Prix event and set a new Junior World Record of 1:55.76. The previous record (1:57.18) was set by Yuan Wang of China in 1993.Ramsak, Bob (24 May 2008) Saladino, Jelimo and Gebrselassie the stars in Hengelo – IAAF World Athletics Tour IAAF Retrieved on 14 December 2008 The previous Kenyan record was held by Janeth Jepkosgei (1:56.04 in 2007).Jelimo sets new world junior record Daily Nation(26 May 2008) Retrieved on 14 December 2008 On 1 June 2008 she ran an impressive 800 m race in Berlin and won the ISTAF Golden League in 1:54.99, a new African record. The previous African record (1:55.19) was set by Maria Mutola in 1994.
On 18 July 2008 she bettered the record slightly to 1:54.97 in Paris. It was also her fourth consecutive win in ÅF Golden League, where she was one of only two remaining jackpot contenders, the other being high jumper Blanka Vlašić.Turner, Chris (18 July 2008) Jelimo 1:54.97; Robles 12.88; Wariner 43.86 in Paris - ÅF Golden League, Paris IAAF Retrieved on 14 December 2008 On 18 August 2008 Jelimo won gold in the 800 metres at the Beijing Olympics. Her time was 1:54.87, again a record. She became the first Kenyan woman to win an Olympic gold medal.Okoth, Omulo (18 August 2008) The Standard Retrieved on 14 December 2008
She continued her unbeaten streak by winning the Weltklasse Golden League meeting in Zurich on 29 August 2008 improving her personal best to 1:54.01.Weltklasse 2008 results Weltklasse Retrieved on 14 December 2008 This was the third fastest performance ever, behind only Nadezhda Olizarenko and the world record of Jarmila Kratochvílová. At the Memorial van Damme competition in Brussels, the ÅF Golden League final, Jelimo won the 800 metres with a time of 1:55.16. As the only athlete to win the same event at all six Golden League meetings, she won the competition's jackpot of $1,000,000. The only other remaining, Blanca Vlasic, failed to win the last event. She is the first Kenyan to win Golden League jackpot.Kenya's heroine Jelimo spurs stampede at home arrival AFP (16 September 2008) Retrieved on 14 December 2008
She crowned her unbeaten season by winning her race at the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final. After the event she returned to Kenya for the first time since the Olympic trials and was welcomed by major festivities. On 18 September 2008 in Kapsabet Town, a street – Pamela Jelimo Street – was named in her honour.Ng'Etich, Peter (18 September 2008) Pomp as street is named after million dollar girl Daily Nation Retrieved on 14 December 2008
Jelimo was shortlisted for the IAAF World Athlete of the Year women's category alongside Yelena Isinbayeva and Tirunesh Dibaba, but the award was won by Isinbayeva. Jelimo was awarded the IAAF Revelation of the Year Award and the 2008 Kenyan Sportswoman of the Year Award.Makori, Elias (23 November 2008) Bolt and Isinbayeva named top athletes for '08 Daily Nation Retrieved on 14 December 2008Kamuzo Banda, Tim (23 January 2009) Moment of glory for Wanjiru and Jelimo The Daily Nation Retrieved on 23 February 2009
Mutwiri, Mutuota (18 February 2009) The Standard Retrieved on 23 February 2009 Instead, she started her season in April at the Athletics Kenya meeting in Kakamega, running 200 and 1500 metres races for training purposes.IAAF, 19 April 2009: Cheruiyot and Jelimo spice-up Kakamega track meet Retrieved on 20 April 2009 On 23 May she ran her first 800 metres race of the year at the Meeting International Mohammed VI in Rabat, Morocco, finishing sixth (time 2:02.46) – it was the first 800 m race that she did not win.Athletics Weekly, 23 May 2009: Meadows stuns Jelimo in Rabat Two weeks later she finished last at the Prefontaine Classic meeting in Eugene, Oregon.The Standard, 9 June 2009: Olympic medallist Kiprop tops Oregon meeting Due to these dismal results, she concentrated on training for over a month. She successfully returned to track by winning the Heusden-Zolder meeting on 18 July running under two minutes (1:59.59).NACHT VAN DE ATLETIEK: 800m Women; Official result Hendrix, Ivo (19 July 2009) Jelimo returns with 1:59.59 in Heusden-Zolder IAAF Retrieved on 22 July 2009
She competed at the 2009 World Championships but did not finish her semi-final.
Jelimo returned to competition in April 2010, winning the 800 metres race at the Athletic Kenya meeting in Nakuru.Daily Nation, 3 April 2010: Excitement as Pamela Jelimo returns to track with victory She finished 8th at the Diamond League meeting in Shanghai, China.IAAF: 2010 Diamond league - Shanghai - Women's 800m results She failed to qualify for the 2010 African Championships held in Nairobi.Zimbio.com, 26 June 2010 :Struggling Jelimo bows out of title defence
At the 2011 Prefontaine Classic she finished last in the 800 metres race, timing 2:09.12, almost nine seconds behind the second last runner, Jemma Simpson.Letsrun.com, 4 June 2011 2011 Prefontaine Classic Distance Races: Lagat, Verzbicas, Kaki And Sinclair Impress It was Jelimo's best time of the season recorded by IAAF.
2012 comeback
Jelimo had a promising start for the 2012 season finishing second behind Malika Akkaoui of Morocco in an indoor meeting at Lievin, France, running eason was crowned by gold medal at the 2012 World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, improving her time to 1:58.83 seconds. She was almost a second ahead of the silver medallist Nataliia Lupu of Ukraine.IAAF, 11 March 2012: EVENT REPORT - Women's 800 Metres - Final
She began the outdoor season with a win at the Doha 2012 Diamond League meeting in a meeting record time of 1:56.94 minutes.Rowbottom, Mike (11 May 2012). Middle distance magic highlights hot results in Doha – Samsung Diamond League. IAAF. Retrieved 9 July 2012. She was beaten by Fantu Magiso at the Golden Gala, but was victorious at the Kenyan trials and then set a world-leading time of 1:56.76 at the KBC Night of Athletics.Hendrix, Ivo (8 July 2012). World leading 1:56.76 for Jelimo, Rotich improves to 1:43.15 in Heusden-Zolder. IAAF. Retrieved 9 July 2012.Wandera, Gilbert (28 June 2012). Inspired Jelimo ready to star at London Games. The Standard. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
At the 2012 Olympics, Jelimo finished in fourth place. In November 2015, the World Anti-Doping Agency recommended two Russian women who finished in first and third be given lifetime bans for their doping violations at the Olympics. The International Olympic Committee has issued disqualification for Mariya Savinova. The IOC in 2024 disqualified the other athlete. The IOC Executive Board has as yet not reallocated the silver and bronze medals.
Personal life Jelimo's love life has remained private though she had a close relationship with a runner in late 2007. It was not revealed in public until December 2008.Mutuota, Mutwiri (12 December 2008) The Standard Retrieved on 14 December 2008
Achievements Personal bests DateEventVenueTimeJuly 2007200 metresOuagadougou, Burkina Faso24.68 secs14 June 2012400 metresNairobi, Kenya52.14 secs5 July 2012600 metresLiège, Belgium1:23.35 mins29 August 2008800 metresZürich, Switzerland1:54.01 mins17 April 20091500 metresKakamega, Kenya4:19.31 mins Correct as of 2026. All information from IAAF profile.
Competition record Representing 2007African Junior ChampionshipsOuagadougou, Burkina Faso 3rd200 mWORLD JUNIOR ATHLETICS HISTORY ("WJAH") African Junior Championships 2007 1st400 m2008African ChampionshipsAddis Ababa, Ethiopia 1st800 m1:58.70 2nd4 × 400 m relay3:37.67Olympic GamesBeijing, China 1st800 m1:54.82World Athletics FinalStuttgart, Germany 1st800 m2009World ChampionshipsBerlin, Germany20th (h)800 m2:03.502012World Indoor ChampionshipsIstanbul, Turkey 1st800 m1:58.83Olympic GamesLondon, United Kingdom 2ndArzhakova was later disqualified due to a doping violation800 m1:57.59
References
External links
IAAF "Focus on Athletes" article