NYRR Media Center

Hellen Obiri is a three-time Olympic medalist, seven-time world championships individual medalist, and the defending champion of both the TCS New York City Marathon and Boston Marathon. She also holds the Kenyan record in the 3,000 meters.

In 2022, in her marathon debut, Obiri finished sixth at the TCS New York City Marathon. In 2023, she won the Boston Marathon, United Airlines NYC Half, Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, and Beach to Beacon 10K, and then closed out the year with a TCS New York City Marathon title. She unleashed a kick in the final 400 meters in Central Park to become the first woman in 34 years to win both the Boston and New York City Marathons in the same calendar year. Then in April, she became the first woman since 2005 to repeat as the Boston Marathon champion.

Obiri represented Kenya at the last three Olympics, earning silver medals in the 5,000 meters at both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Games and a bronze in the marathon at the Paris 2024 Games. In Tokyo, she was also fourth in the 10,000 meters. She has competed at the outdoor world championships since 2011; she won bronze in the 1,500 meters in 2013, gold in the 5,000 meters in both 2017 and 2019, and silver in the 10,000 meters in 2022. She also owns world indoor gold and silver medals in the 3,000 meters from 2012 and 2014, respectively, and a gold from the world cross country championships in 2019.

Obiri moved 8,850 miles and 10 time zones—from Kenya to Colorado—in 2023 to team up with her coach, Dathan Ritzenhein, and a new training group as she continues her transition from the track to the roads. She and her husband, Tom Nyaundi, have an 8-year-old daughter, Tania.