Rita Jeptoo facts for kids
Rita Jeptoo at the 2007 Boston Marathon.
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Rita Jeptoo Sitienei |
| Born | February 15, 1981 |
| Sport | |
| Country | Kenya |
| Event(s) | Marathon, half marathon |
Rita Jeptoo is a long-distance runner from Kenya who became famous for winning some of the world's biggest marathon races. She was a two-time winner of the Boston Marathon and also won marathons in Chicago, Stockholm, and Milan.
However, her career was stopped in 2014 when she was found to have broken anti-doping rules. This means she used a banned substance to gain an unfair advantage in sports. As a result, she was banned from competing and some of her titles were taken away.
Contents
A Champion Runner
Rita Jeptoo started her marathon career with a big win at the 2004 Stockholm Marathon. It was the very first marathon she ever ran. She quickly followed that up with another victory at the Milan Marathon in the same year.
In 2006, she had one of her best years. She won the Boston Marathon with her fastest time yet, 2 hours, 23 minutes, and 38 seconds. That same year, she also won the Paris Half Marathon and earned a bronze medal for Kenya at the World Road Running Championships.
Over the next few years, Jeptoo continued to be one of the top runners in the world. She won the Lisbon Half Marathon in 2007 and placed in the top five at the New York City and Boston marathons. After taking a break to start a family, she returned to running in 2011.
Return to the Top
Jeptoo's return to racing was a huge success. In 2012, she ran the 2012 Chicago Marathon and finished in second place with a new personal best time of 2:22:04. She had shaved more than a minute off her old record.
The year 2013 was even better. She won the Boston Marathon for a second time. Later that year, she also won the Chicago Marathon, setting a new personal best time of 2 hours, 19 minutes, and 57 seconds.
Breaking the Rules of Sport
In sports, it's very important that all athletes compete fairly. To make sure this happens, there are strict rules against using certain substances that can give a person an unfair advantage. This is called doping.
In 2014, after winning the Chicago Marathon again, Jeptoo was tested for banned substances. The test showed she had used EPO, a substance that is not allowed. EPO can help an athlete's body use oxygen better, which makes it easier to run for a long time without getting tired.
Ban from Competition
Because she broke the rules, Jeptoo was banned from competing in professional running for two years. The organization in charge of world athletics, the IAAF, felt this was not long enough. They argued that her ban should be longer because she had been uncooperative during the investigation.
In 2016, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which helps settle sports-related disputes, agreed with the IAAF. They increased her ban to four years. They also canceled all of her race results from April 17, 2014, onwards. This meant she was stripped of her 2014 wins at the Boston and Chicago marathons.
Personal Life
Rita Jeptoo is married to Noah Busienei, who is also a runner specializing in middle-distance races.
Achievements
This table shows some of Rita Jeptoo's major race results during her career. "DSQ" means she was disqualified, and her result was removed.
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing  Kenya |
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| 2004 | Stockholm Marathon | Stockholm, Sweden | 1st | Marathon | 2:35:14 |
| Milan Marathon | Milan, Italy | 1st | Marathon | 2:28:11 | |
| 2005 | World Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 7th | Marathon | 2:24:22 |
| 2006 | Paris Half Marathon | Paris, France | 1st | Half marathon | 1:09:56 |
| Boston Marathon | Boston, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:23:38 | |
| 2007 | Lisbon Half Marathon | Lisbon, Portugal | 1st | Half marathon | 1:07:05 |
| 2013 | Boston Marathon | Boston, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:26:25 |
| Chicago Marathon | Chicago, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:19:57 | |
| 2014 | Boston Marathon | Boston, United States | DSQ (1st) | Marathon | |
| Chicago Marathon | Chicago, United States | DSQ (1st) | Marathon | ||
See also
In Spanish: Rita Jeptoo para niños
