Winfred Yavi presents her gold medal to the Bahrain King.

On Sunday, Winfred Yavi, a Kenya-born athlete representing Bahrain, expressed her joy as she presented her gold medal to the King of Bahrain, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. 

In the photos she shared, the 24-year-old athlete was seen showcasing the prestigious medal she won at the recent Paris Olympics during her visit to the palace. 

She mentioned that she also had the opportunity to discuss the events in France with the king and thanked him for his support of the athletes.

“It was an honour to showcase our events at the Olympic Games and the medal to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. We are deeply grateful for His Majesty’s support,” Yavi said.

The athlete, who was born in Makueni County, won the gold medal in the women’s 3000-meter steeplechase at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

After winning the race at the Zurich Diamond League in September 2023, Yavi gave an interview with an online journalist in which she talked about her victory and her running journey.

Yavi mentioned that before making the decision to move to Bahrain about eight years ago, she made several attempts to secure a spot on Kenya’s national team but was unsuccessful due to the stiff competition.

“I used to go for trials for the Kenyan team, but I didn’t qualify. Moving to Bahrain was a priority, but I was ready to represent my country,” Yavi said.

She added, “The competition was tough. You know, here in Kenya, we have many athletes, and even getting a spot on the Kenyan team is hard. They might select only two people, so if you finish second or fourth, you miss out. I was ready, but I kept missing the chance.”

The athlete revealed that in 2016, she finished third in the trials for international youth competitions, but only the top two athletes were selected to represent the country.

“I had worked hard and put in a lot of effort, so when the opportunity to move to Bahrain came, I took it. It became the top priority,” she said.

Yavi also disclosed that to get the opportunity to go to Bahrain, she was connected by a Kenyan involved in the sports industry.

“My parents agreed, and my coach also agreed and took me there,” she said.

The 24-year-old athlete confirmed that in addition to representing Bahrain in athletics, she also holds citizenship of the Asian country.

However, she noted that the decision to change nationality stirred strong emotions and negative reactions, especially from friends.

“It brought a lot of negativity. People questioned how sure I was that I would go there and run well. It was tough. Everyone had different things to say. Some said I shouldn’t go, that I would get hurt. My parents and I had discussions, sat down with the coach and others. We came together and agreed,” she said.

Yavi said that despite having Bahraini citizenship, she often stays in Kenya because of the favourable weather for training.

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