Betsy Saina
Betsy Saina in August 2014
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|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born |
30 June 1988 Kenya |
| Residence | Colorado Springs, Colorado |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Sport | |
| Country |
 Kenya
|
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event(s) | 5000 metres, 10,000 metres |
| College team | Iowa State Cyclones |
| Club | Nike Bowerman Track Club |
| Turned pro | 2013 |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Olympic finals | 2016 |
| Personal best(s) | 14:39.49, 30:07.78 |
Betsy Saina (born 30 June 1988) is a Kenyan athlete in long distance running.
Saina was born in Kenya on 30 June 1988. She began running as a teenager in Eldoret, Kenya with hopes to pursue education at Otago Girls High School. Her family had success in distance running, so her sisters mentored her as a youth to prepare her for a national stage of running. Her performance at the African juniors national championship caught the attention of scouts and recruiters. "Saina grew up in Kenya's middle class – "not poor, or rich," she says – with a father who worked as an elementary-school teacher and mother who operated a small business."
In her 5 years at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, Saina earned an agriculture and life sciences degree with a focus on nursing. She won the 2012National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Cross Country Championship, 5,000 meters at the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championship and 10,000 meters at the 2013 Outdoor NCAA Championship under the guidance of coach Corey Ihmels.
Saina ran at the 2009 NCAA cross country championships and finished 141st in 21:35. Three years later, she has improved her 6K time by two minutes – and everyone is following behind Saina. In her final year of eligibility, Saina took the top spot at this year's NCAA championships in a time of 19:27.9"
She set at the time world-leading marks of 31:15.97 in the 10 km and school records of 15:12.05 in the 5k. Saina was the 2011–2012 Iowa State Cyclones Female Student-Athlete of the year and received this honour in front of 61,000 fans at the football home opener on 1 September 2012. Saina was also a nine-time Big 12 Champion and an 11-time All-American runner. She was also named Athlete of the Year by the Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association her senior season in 2013. Betsy Saina was honoured on 31 August 2013 as the 2013 Iowa State Female Athlete of the Year!
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