Viola Cheptoo: Leading from Within to Make History on the Run and Far Beyond
Viola Cheptoo at Tirop's Angels in Eldoret, Kenya.
As New York Road Runners closes out Women’s History Month, we celebrate not only the women who have already done so much to shape our sport over the last six decades, but also those currently shaping the future of our sport and redefining what leading from within looks like. Few women embody that more powerfully than Viola Cheptoo.
Just weeks before Cheptoo competed on the global stage at the 2026 Tokyo Marathon—where she would ultimately cross the finish line in 6th place with a personal best of 2:19:05—she hosted a contingent of NYRR leaders in Eldoret, Kenya to witness the life-changing work she's doing with Tirop’s Angels. As the founder and executive director of Tirop’s Angels, Cheptoo is taking on one of the most urgent and complex issues facing her community: gender-based violence.
NYRR leaders at the Tirop's Angels site in Eldoret, Kenya.
Fueled by Purpose
Named in honor of her late friend and training partner, Agnes Tirop, Tirop’s Angels was born out of tragedy, but fueled by purpose and a beautiful resilience, one that refuses to let that loss define a community so foundational to our sport. Cheptoo made a decision that required immense courage—not only to speak out, but to lead. In a society where gender-based violence is often underreported and stigmatized, and where cultural norms can discourage women from coming forward, Cheptoo is working to create change from within.
Through Tirop’s Angels, Cheptoo and her team are building a support system for women and children affected by domestic violence, including the development of a safe house that will provide security, resources, and a path forward. Just as importantly, they are working to shift perspectives—engaging men and women alike in conversations that challenge long-standing beliefs and advocating for a future where safety is not a privilege, but a right.
What makes Cheptoo’s leadership even more impressive is that it exists alongside her career as a full-time professional athlete. Like other world-class runners, her days are structured around rigorous training, recovery and competition. In between those miles, she is building an organization, attending board meetings, and answering the call—every call—providing direct support for survivors.
Viola Cheptoo at the 2025 Mastercard Mini 10K.
Commitment to Community
Seeing the meaningful impact being made by Tirop’s Angels is a powerful reminder that Cheptoo is more than an athlete at the start line of a race—she is a community leader, advocate, and changemaker with the weight of an entire community on her shoulders and her late friend’s name on her race kit as she vies for a win in front of a global audience.
Her work also underscores an important truth—progress in sport is not limited to the finish line. It is reflected in who feels safe to participate, who has access to opportunity, and who is empowered to lead.
As we reflect on Women’s History Month, we often look back at the pioneers who paved the way, but history is not only something we inherit; it is something we build. Viola Cheptoo is not only continuing the legacy of women like Kathrine Switzer and Tegla Loroupe who fought for equity in running—she is actively expanding it through her bravery, leadership, and unwavering commitment to others.
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