Middle and long-distance track athlete Hellen Obiri has revealed the reasons why she left Kenya to settle in Boulder, Colorado.
Obiri, along with her husband Tom Nyaundi and their daughter Tania Macheche, made the move to America in late 2022.
According to the New York Times, the 33-year-old’s decision to relocate to the US was driven by her zeal to pursue success in long-distance marathons
This decision came shortly after her victory in the Boston Marathon. Her husband and daughter were visibly present at the finish line, cheering her on and warmly embracing her as soon as she crossed the winner’s tape.
“That was one good moment for me, at the finish line seeing my daughter. I cannot even explain what I felt,” she said in a past interview with BBC Africa.
The two-time World Champion, primarily recognized for her outstanding performances in the 5000m track event, made the bold decision to transition to long-distance marathon running.
To facilitate this, she moved to the US, where she could have her coach closely overseeing her progress.
“When switching to the road, I felt I needed a coach on the ground with me in training. On the track, you can train without a coach present and do well, but with the marathon sometimes you need a coach to watch what you are doing,” the mother of one explained.
Obiri currently trains under the guidance of retired American athlete Dathan Ritzenhein at the OAC.
Her family was understanding and supportive of her decision to move to America, recognizing the key reasons behind her choice.
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“It was a challenge because you don’t have a family in the US. Sometimes the time difference in calling is not good. Maybe when you call the child is sleeping,” Obiri noted.
“The most important thing is for the family to understand what you are going there to do because it is a short career. They give me a lot of time, support and encouragement.”
Initially, she moved to the US alone. The separation from her family made her reflect on relocating permanently. Her daughter would always call her, often in tears, pleading with her to return home.
“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?” Obiri quipped.
Eventually, Obiri and Nyaundi came to a consensus that they could make their lives work well abroad.
“You don’t need to think about anything else. You are thinking about your family and the race and when your family is there to watch you, they give you a lot of encouragement.”
Tania now attends a school in their local neighbourhood, while her husband Tom Nyaundi decided to return to school for further studies.
“The first week was terrible for her because she didn’t have friends here, it’s a new environment. But Tania is so friendly. So after one week and a half, she was coming and telling ‘Mum, I have some friends, this one and this one’,” Obiri recalled.
