A version of this article was first published in May 2023.
Hellen Obiri’s victory in the New York Marathon on Sunday continued her sensational form on the road and, in many ways, vindicated her decision to move away from her family to live and train in the United States.
The 33-year-old left husband Tom and daughter Tania back in Kenya last year to join her coach, retired American athlete Dathan Ritzenhein.
It has paid off, with her win in New York adding to that in the Boston Marathon in April, but the pain of separation sometimes led Obiri to question her decision.
“It was a challenge because you don’t have family in the US,” she told BBC Sport Africa.
“Sometimes the time difference (for) calling (home) is not good. Maybe when you call the child is sleeping.
“She (Tania) was always telling me ‘Mommy, I want you to come now’.
“When she tells you, you feel like crying, you feel you don’t have morale. Why am I here and my baby’s crying there?”
Previously a 5000m specialist who claimed world titles over the distance in 2017 and 2019, the 2018 Commonwealth title and Olympic silver medals in 2016 and 2020, Obiri finished sixth on her marathon debut in New York last November.
But she proved to be a fast learner, triumphing on her second outing over 26.2 miles in Boston.
And, as she crossed the finish line that day, a few metres ahead was Tania – and she was soon locked in an embrace with her daughter and Tom.
The rush of emotion left Obiri in tears, and she found it all hard to describe.
“That was one good moment for me, at the finish line seeing my daughter. I cannot even explain what I felt.”
