Eunice Sum

Eunice Jepkoech Sum (born 10 April 1988) is a Kenyan middle-distance runner. She was the world champion in the 800 metres in 2013. She is also a former African and Commonwealth Games champion in the same event.

Eunice Sum
Sum at the 2016 Olympics
Personal information
Born10 April 1988 (1988-04-10) (age 32)
Kesses, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya
Height170 cm (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Weight54 kg (119 lb)
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)800–3000 m
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)800 m – 1:56.99 (2015)
1500 – 4:01.54 (2014)
3000 m – 8:53.12 (2012)[2]
Medal record
Representing  Kenya
World Championships
2013 Moscow800 m
2015 Beijing800 m
Commonwealth Games
2014 Glasgow800 m
African Championships
2014 Marrakech800 m
2012 Porto Novo800 m

Career

Sum was born in the village of Kesses in Uasin Gishu County in the former Rift Valley Province and competed in the heptathlon and handball at school. She gave birth to a daughter Diana Jeruto in 2008 and only began a full-time athletics career in 2009 after being spotted competing in a heptathlon event by former 800 metres world champion Janeth Jepkosgei. At Jepkosgei's invitation, Sum moved to Eldoret to train with Jepkosgei's group.[3][4]

She made her international championship début in the 800 metres at the 2010 African Championships in Athletics in Nairobi, but failed to make the final. In 2011, Sum set a personal best time of 1:59.66 in finishing second over 800 m at the Kenyan championships. This performance qualified Sum for the 800 m at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, South Korea, where she reached the semi finals.[4]

Sum won a silver medal – her first medal in international competition – in the 800 m at the 2012 African Championships in Athletics in Porto-Novo, Benin. She ran a personal best of 1:59.13 in the final, finishing two hundredths of a second behind Burundi's Francine Niyonsaba.[5] Sum then competed in the 1500 m at the Olympics, but finished a disappointing 10th in her heat and failed to qualify for the semi finals.[4]

Sum progressed to the highest ranks of international competition in 2013, reaching her first global final and defeating Olympic champion and home favourite Mariya Savinova to win a surprise 800 m gold in a personal best time of 1:57.38 at the world championships in Moscow.[6] The Kenyan defeated Savinova again at the Weltklasse Zürich to add the 2013 IAAF Diamond League crown in 800 m to her world title.[7] She won the 800 m at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.[8]

Personal life

Sum is the first cousin of Alfred Kirwa Yego, the 2007 world champion in 800 metres.[3] She is a fan of Chelsea FC.[4]

Competition record
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing  Kenya
2010 African Championships Nairobi, Kenya 9th (h) 800 m 2:08.71
2011 World Championships Daegu, South Korea 13th (sf) 800 m 1:59.94
2012 African Championships Porto Novo, Benin 2nd 800 m 1:59.13
Olympic Games London, United Kingdom 38th (h) 1500 m 4:16.95
2013 World Championships Moscow, Russia 1st 800 m 1:57.38
2014 IAAF World Relays Nassau, Bahamas 2nd 4 × 800 m relay 8:04.28
Commonwealth Games Glasgow, United Kingdom 1st 800 m 2:00.31
African Championships Marrakech, Morocco 1st 800 m 1:59.45
2015 World Championships Beijing, China 3rd 800 m 1:58.18
2016 Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 19th (sf) 800 m 2:00.88
2018 African Championships Asaba, Nigeria 9th (h) 800 m 2:03.38
2019 World Championships Doha, Qatar 5th 800 m 1:59.71

References
  1. Eunice Jepkoech Sum Archived 26 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine. rio2016.com
  2. Eunice Jepkoech Sum. IAAF
  3. Sum rolls to Daegu under Jepkosgei's wing. Capital FM. 3 August 2011. (Retrieved on 2014-08-25).
  4. Sub two zero sum game. IAAF. 13 May 2014. (Retrieved on 2014-08-25).
  5. Watta, Evelyn. Burundian teen Niyonsaba takes dramatic 800m title as Nigeria top medal table in Porto Novo. IAAF. 2 July 2012. (Retrieved on 2014-08-25).
  6. Landells, Steve. Report: Women's 800m final – Moscow 2013. IAAF. 18 August 2013. (Retrieved on 2014-08-25).
  7. Whittington, Jessica. Diamond League titles decided in Zurich. Athletics Weekly. 29 August 2013. (Retrieved on 2014-08-25).
  8. "Glasgow 2014 - Eunice jepkoech Sum Profile". g2014results.thecgf.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 July 2017.
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