Eunice Kirwa

Eunice Jepkirui Kirwa, born on 20 May 1984, is a Kenyan-born Bahraini long-distance runner. She runs marathons and in 2017 set a Bahraini record with a time of 2:21:17 at the Nagoya Women's Marathon. She won a silver medal in the marathon at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.

Kirwa first competed for Kenya at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Athletics in the 1,500 metres. She later switched to road running and began marathon running by 2012. Her husband, Joshua Kiprugut Kemei, is also a long-distance runner, and they have a son.

In May 2019, Kirwa was suspended after a doping test.

Career

Eunice Kirwa began running for Kenya when she was fifteen. She ran in races like the 1,500 metres and the steeplechase but did not win big races on the track. Around 2006, she started running road races in places like North America. She did well in races such as the 10K run and half marathons.

In her late twenties, Kirwa became one of the world's best road runners. She ran her first full marathon in 2012 and came in second in the Amsterdam Marathon with a fast time. In 2013, she began representing Bahrain. She won gold in the marathon at the 2014 Asian Games, becoming Bahrain’s first ever winner in that event.

Unfortunately, in 2019, Kirwa was suspended after testing positive for a banned substance. She was the second Olympic marathon medalist from the 2016 games to have this problem.

1999 World Youth Championships in Athletics 1,500 metres Sylvia Kibet 2001 World Youth Championships in Athletics steeplechase North Rift Kenyan Athletics Championships road running 10K run marathon Asunción Amsterdam Marathon Meseret Hailu Xiamen Marathon Fatuma Sado Paris Marathon Lisbon Edna Kiplagat Gifu Mestawet Tufa Frankfurt Marathon transferred her eligibility 2014 Boston Marathon 2014 Asian Games Ryoko Kizaki Erythropoietin Jemima Sumgong

International competitions

Eunice Kirwa is a long-distance runner from Kenya who now competes for Bahrain. She is known for running marathons. She won a silver medal in the marathon at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.