Athlete Information

Naomi Wangui
Talented and personable, the twenty-five year old native of Bahati, Nakuru is one of the better long distance runners to come out of Kenya. Since arriving in America after finishing primary school and high school in Kenya in 1999, Wangui has shown great versatility in excelling in road races and long distance runs alike, having won a 5k, a 20k, and a 10-mile race.
Wangui, a member of the Kikuyu tribe, grew up in Nakuru, a mountainous farming area in Kenya about 160 kilometers northwest from the Kenyan capital Nairobi. Nakuru is located within the Great Rift Valley, a geological phenomenon positioned between two great mountain ranges. As the daughter of parents who could only work part-time jobs, Wangui did not have much money until she started running in the United States. Since that time, as the second oldest of seven children (Wangui has five younger brothers and one younger sister), Wangui has used her earnings from racing to not only send her younger siblings through high school in Kenya, but also to help her older brother build a house for his family. 
Wangui has committed herself toward sacrificing time with her family and friends at home in order to make money to strengthen the lifestyle of her family. Growing up, Wangui lacked the money to attend college or medical school, so sensing that running was her best chance to support her family, Wangui focused on becoming the best runner she could be. In the process, she has had to come to grips with life in America, which, according to Wangui, brings some bad along with the good. "The way of life here is much different," Wangui explains. "Here, you do not know your neighbors and what they are doing. In Kenya, you know all your neighbors." For each negative, however, there is an additional positive, such as the level of respect Wangui feels people have for each other in America, evidenced by the amount of freedom teenagers have in America compared to Kenya. 
Wangui aspires to one day be like her idol, Catherine Ndereba, one of the best female runners to ever come from Kenya. This would enable Wangui to give back to others through helping less fortunate families with both advising and financial needs.
Wangui, independent by nature, has no plans to get married because she would like to retain this independence rather than give away all control to her husband, a common occurrence in Kenyan culture. Wangui enjoys a social life of conversing with other Kenyans about their futures, the people they have met, problems they have had, and ideas about life. More often than not, this socializing occurs over a lunch consisting of beef and ugali, a hard bread-like substance made out of corn meal. Though, in America, Wangui will occasionally splurge for her favorite American dishes - mushroom pizza, tuna fish, and shrimp.

 

Shadrack Kosgei
Whether by accident or not, the nineteen-year old Kosgei never stops smiling. No matter what he is saying, the Eldoret native says it with a smile so invigorating that it almost appears he is on the cusp of breaking down and laughing at some joke only he knows. His running record, however, is no joke. Kosgei marked his road debut as a sixteen-year old in 2001 by running the fifth-fastest 8k of all-time. Since that debut, Kosgei has gone on to win races of four miles, eight kilometers, and ten kilometers. At not even twenty years old, there promises to be many more victories to come.
Kosgei was born into the Karanji tribe in Eldoret, Kenya, a province located on a plateau about 300 kilometers northwest of the capital Nairobi. The son of two farmers, Kosgei was the fifth of ten children - five boys, five girls. As a young boy, Kosgei would run to school everyday, five kilometers each way, eventually realizing he had an immense talent for the craft. After attending primary school and high school in Kenya, Kosgei agreed to run for the Kenyan army and came to America in 2001 so that he could make money to support his two younger brothers and two younger sisters in school.
Like most Kenyan athletes, Kosgei has made the adjustment from Kenya to America. Although he misses being away from his friends and family, he does not mind his time in America because it is such a great career opportunity for him. Running also provides Kosgei the opportunity to make money to have his own things while doing something that he loves. While there may be aspects of Kenyan life that are not present in America, one aspect that Kosgei enjoys greatly is the food. Kosgei can still enjoy his favorite food - ugali, a hard bread-like mixture made out of cornmeal. And he can still down his ugali with a tall glass of milk. But now, in America, Kosgei can add new favorites to the list - spaghetti, beans, and pizza with any type of meat on it.
In his free time, Kosgei enjoys listening to reggae music and watching movies, especially Spider-Man. He also enjoys any movies featuring Chuck Norris or Arnold Schwarzenegger. Kosgei is planning on getting married this current year, possibly in September or October. He has a six-month old son that lives with his mother in Kenya. When he retires from running, Kosgei is planning on continuing his sports career and becoming a coach to train young athletes.

 

Joseph Koskei
The twenty-three year old Koskei has already made his mark in America, despite only arriving into the country less than one year ago. The younger brother of top runner James Koskei, Joseph has already won two five-kilometer races to go along with enough top-10 finishes to call his first few months in America successful.
Koskei, a member of the Karanji tribe, was raised in Eldoret, a province located on a plateau about 300 kilometers northwest of the Kenyan capital Nairobi. The son of two farmers, Koskei is the second youngest of six children - four boys, two girls. Koskei began running in Kenya when he had to run several kilometers to and from school every day, and he continued running throughout high school before coming to America in early 2004. The money that Koskei makes goes partly to his family at home to support their housing, and partly to help his own situation, as his siblings are already mostly done their schooling.
Koskei has had a difficult time adjusting to life in America, mainly due to the differences between the two cultures. One of the biggest shocks for him was noting how much more often people drive around in America, especially when compared to how much walking takes place in Kenya. Not that Koskei minds the driving around - driving has become one of Koskei's more enjoyable activities. The most difficult aspect of the move to America for Koskei was leaving his family and friends behind, but he admits that he has made new friends in America. 
Koskei relaxes by listening to music and watching Arnold Schwarzenegger in movies. While he loves the traditional Kenyan dish of ugali, which is basically a hard bread made out of corn meal, Koskei has also become a big fan of pizza with meat on it. Although he is currently single, Koskei plans on one day getting married and having children that he can raise in his native Kenya. His future goals include buying a car and building a house. When he is finished running, Koskei would like to be able to coach younger athletes.

 

Maria Busienei
Busienei, a shy nineteen-year old who is still making the difficult transition to the United States, has made great strides since coming to America in early 2004. After an up-and-down 2003, Buseinei has been outstanding in her first two significant American races, winning a ten-mile race in Philadelphia and finishing second in a ten-kilometer race in New Jersey.
A member of the Karanji tribe, Busienei was born in the province of Eldoret, which is located on a plateau about 300 kilometers northwest of the Kenyan capital Nairobi. Busienei grew up in Eldoret with her two brothers and two sisters on a farm on which her parents worked. After attending primary school in Kenya, Buseinei worked around her house for several years before coming to America. Busienei now runs in America in order to make money that she can send home to support her family and help pay for her brothers and sisters to go to school.
Busienei has not been in America for very long, and she is still having some trouble adjusting to American life. Since she does not speak English very well and sometimes has trouble understanding it, she tends to come off as shy and not talkative. However, she remains a strong person and a strong runner who has a clear idea of the type of person she wants to be.
Busienei, who is currently single, spends her free time watching television and enjoying movies acted by Arnold Schwarzenegger. She has grown to love pizza and beans, but her favorite is still a heavy type of Kenyan bread made out of corn meal, known as ugali.

 

 

 

Joseah Matui
Matui, a twenty-seven year old native of Bomet, comes off as much more sophisticated than his fellow Kenyans. Whether that is due to his age or the four years of experience that he has in America is up for interpretation, but something that does not need to be interpreted is Matui's running style. Matui mixes his speed and unique endurance to finish in the top five of many of his races. As the majority of his previous races have taken place in Kenya, Matui hopes to make his mark on American racing on the United States circuit this summer.
Matui was born as the oldest of six children in Bomet, a farming area in Kenya about 250 kilometers west of the capital Nairobi. Bomet is located within the Great Rift Valley, a natural wonder positioned between two great mountain ranges. Matui, along with his three brothers and two sisters, were born into the Karanji tribe as the children of farmers. Matui attended both primary school and high school in Kenya before coming to America in 2000. Since his siblings have all finished school, Matui now runs for money that he can save to begin a business career.
Matui acknowledges the great sacrifice that he has made in coming to America, but he also states that the sacrifice was something he had to make in order to make money. Although most Kenyans find the adjustment to American life difficult, Matui claimed that the transition was made easier because of the money that he was able to earn once he was in America. While he greatly misses his family in Kenya, he counters that with a longing for friends in America while he is in Kenya. 
Matui is married and has an eighteen-month old son currently living in Kenya. Like almost all Kenyans, Matui cannot live without a hard bread-like substance made out of corn mean, known as ugali, but he also loves to eat fresh salmon. He spends his free time enjoying music and watching other sports. Matui also loves all movies featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger. When he retires from racing, Matui has a clear picture of what he wants his life to be in Kenya - in the business world. Matui would like to be a businessman and help out future runners with their careers.

 

 

Henry Kipchirchir
At 6'6", the twenty-one year old Kipchirchir is one of the tallest competitive runners in the world. Unashamed and very honest, Kipchirchir is very personable and talkative once he is comfortable in a situation. One situation that he appears very comfortable is running five- and ten-kilometer races, as he has placed in the top three in major races seven times in the past three years, including a third place finish in a 5k at the All-Africa Juniors and a first place finish in a 10k in New York.
Kipchirchir, a member of the Karanji tribe, grew up in Eldoret, a province located on a plateau about 300 kilometers northwest of the Kenyan capital city Nairobi. As the oldest of seven children, Kipchirchir went to primary school in Kenya before coming to America in 2003 at the age of nineteen. Kipchirchir sends money home as much as he can to support his parents and their farm in addition to sending his four younger brothers and two younger sisters through school. Although he began to run in Kenya because he enjoyed it, since coming to America he has run in order to make money to improve his own lifestyle and allow his family to live better.
Since arriving in America, Kipchirchir has seen a very clear difference between life in Kenya and life in America. He enjoys life in Kenya considerably more than life in America because he can use his money more easily in Kenya. For this reason, it is also difficult to adjust to life in America - if one does not have money, it is difficult to live in America; if one has money, it is better to go to Kenya to spend the money.
Kipchirchir also believes he has made a huge sacrifice to give up being with his family and friends to come to America. For Kipchirchir, everything about Kenya is home, and America is not home. While it may not be home, however, Kipchirchir does not admit toward one craving he normally has when he is in America - pepperoni pizza. His all-time favorite, though, remains ugali, a hard bread-like food made out of corn meal.
Kipchirchir spends his free time watching movies acted by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Kipchirchir also enjoys listening to different kinds of American music and playing various sports. While he is currently single and has no plans to get married any time soon, Kipchirchir did not rule out possibly getting married and having children at some time in the future. Along the same lines, Kipchirchir is not sure what his future holds for him. As for now, he is focused on just making money to improve his life, and maybe one day go into business. After thinking a little longer, however, he seemed to come to a decision - "I would maybe just like to go back to Kenya and be a farmer," Kipchirchir declared.











Reuben Chebii
At the tender age of twenty-one, Chebii has already shown enormous talent on the international circuit. The Eldoret native is quick with a smile but even quicker on the track, as he already holds seven top three finishes in 2004 alone. Running mostly 10k's with an occasional ten-mile or half marathon race, Chebii already holds five major race victories, including a course record of 28:07 in a Virginia 10k. As he is beginning to run consistent sub-28 minute 10k's, Chebii can expect to find the winner's circle in many more races to come.
A member of the Karanji tribe, Chebii was the second oldest child born to two farmers living in Eldoret, which is located on a plateau about 300 kilometers northwest of Nairobi, Kenya's capital city. Chebii has five younger siblings (one brother, four sisters) that he continues to support at home through his running. Upon completing primary school and high school in Kenya, Chebii trained for almost three years before arriving in America for the first time in March 2004. Chebii was born to be a runner; for as long as he can remember, he enjoyed athletics, especially running. To this day, his primary reason for running is simply because the sport remains fun for him.
Chebii views his time in America as a sacrifice that he makes in order to provide a better life for his family in Kenya. While Chebii misses his family greatly, he knows that he must work hard in America to help those in Kenya, where his way of life was much different. According to Chebii, the biggest adjustment he had to make in coming to America was realizing that everything is about money in America, and one must work hard in order to get the money. Chebii not only sees a difference in the way of life in America, but also in the people themselves in America, stating that on the whole, Americans are more friendly than Kenyans.
Chebii, who is currently single, is planning on marrying and raising a family in Kenya when the opportunity arises. He enjoys watching basketball and soccer on television and listening to African music in his free time. While he has grown to love mushroom pizza in America, his all-time favorites remain the traditional Kenyan foods - fruits, beans, milk, and ugali, a hard bread-like roll made out of corn meal. Chebii hopes to simply go on and have a good life with a good family after he retires from running. By investing what money he currently has, Chebii hopes to eventually establish a business.

 

Nelson Kiplagat
Kiplagat, a twenty-four year old native of Mosorit, Eldoret, has put up some extraordinary numbers since arriving in America in April 2004. Over the past year, Kiplagat has won four races and placed second in three others. A versatile runner, Kiplagat's races range in length from a 5k in which he placed second to a victory in a 10k to yet another victory in a ten-mile race. Kiplagat has shown great consistency in his races and hopes to make continued strides toward becoming one of the best runners on the international circuit.
The fifth of ten children, Kiplagat was raised as part of the Karanji tribe by his two parents, each of whom worked on the farm on which they lived. Kiplagat's hometown of Eldoret is located on a plateau approximately 300 kilometers northwest from Kenya's capital Nairobi. Kiplagat has been running since he was in primary school in Kenya, when he ran 400-meter races simply because he enjoyed playing sports for his school. Kiplagat went on to run 1500-meter races in high school before coming to America in April 2004. Since he has arrived in America, Kiplagat has worked hard to make money in order to send money home to his seven brothers so that they can finish school.
Although Kiplagat acknowledges the large sacrifice he has made in coming to America, he views it as a necessity in order to aid his friends and family, both of whom he misses very much. Kiplagat found it difficult to adjust to America as the new person in a new world, especially when there were so many differences between Kenya and America. Among these many differences, Kiplagat views the style of living as one of the biggest. Other differences that Kiplagat has noticed include the fact that many more people live in rural areas in Kenya than in America. Additionally, due to the vast distribution of people in Kenya, it is much more difficult to see friends in Kenya than it is to see friends in America.
Kiplagat misses the many interests he left behind in Kenya. Although he enjoys American mushroom pizza, he loves Kenyan rice and ugali, a hard bread made out of corn meal. While he enjoys watching movies in America and can still listen to his favorite reggae music, Kiplagat misses walking around on his farm in Kenya. Perhaps most of all, however, Kiplagat misses his wife of four years and his eight-year old daughter, both of whom still live in Kenya. Kiplagat is not too sure what his future has in store for him, maybe another child, maybe just a life on the farm, but the one thing he knows he wants is just the chance to be happy.

 

David Korir
The twenty-two year old Korir is a passionate and caring person who always tends to see things from a different angle. Raised in Kapsowar, Eldoret, Korir has run for the Kenyan Army for the past three years on the road circuit. His strength and power combined with his unique intelligence provides him with a rare advantage over other runners. While he is still a developing runner and has not yet found his niche, he has shown great flexibility and finished third in the Armed Forces cross-country 12k this year. With continued improvement, Korir has high hopes for his running future.
Korir, a member of the Marakwet branch of the Karanji tribe, is the oldest of eight children. His parents, both farmers, raised Korir, along with his five brothers and two sisters, in a town located on a plateau about 300 kilometers northwest of Nairobi, Kenya's capital city. Korir began running for fun in primary school, but he now primarily runs for money to assist his parents and brothers in buying life's necessities. He also helps pay for schooling for his siblings so that they can attend high school, an opportunity that he never had.
Since arriving in America in July 2003, Korir has not viewed his occupation as a sacrifice because he is able to fight to make money in America for his family. Among the many experiences Korir has had in America, one of the most amazing was seeing snow for the first time in February 2004. In fact, the change of seasons is one of the biggest differences Korir sees between Kenya and America. Korir also believes that Americans are more active than Kenyans because they are always traveling or doing something.
Korir enjoys many types of food, now including pepperoni pizza since his time in America, but his favorites are still creamed vegetables, milk, and ugali, a type of hard bread made out of corn meal. He enjoys spending his free time playing other sports such as soccer and volleyball, reading novels, and watching movies. Although Korir is currently single, he has a girlfriend in Kenya who he plans to marry sometime next year. Korir does not have grandiose plans for life after running; rather, he solely desires to live as a farmer and businessman with a wife and hopefully three children back in Kenya.











Elkanah Angwenyi
At first glance, the twenty-one year old Angwenyi does not look like he fits in with most other Kenyan runners. The Kisii, Nyanza native's rigid jaw and broad shoulders make him look more like a fiery warrior than a soft-spoken world class runner who has four top-four finishes and two victories in the past year. In alternating primarily between running the 4k and running the mile, Angwenyi has shown an equal proficiency in both, prevailing in one of each within the past year. As he continues to mature, Angwenyi hopes to bring home many more victories in the years to come.
Angwenyi is the only son of two farmers in Nyanza, a province located on a plateau about 500 kilometers from the Kenyan capital Nairobi. After attending primary school and high school in Kenya, Angwenyi came to America for the first time in January 2004 to make money that he could send home to his parents and seven older sisters. Angwenyi began running when he was in primary school, running about five kilometers every day both to and from school, in addition to running every day for his school. While he mainly runs today to send money home to his parents, he still contends that running remains an enjoyable activity for him.
Angwenyi does not view his time in America as a sacrifice, for America was an opportunity for a better way of life. While he has observed many differences between life in Kenya and life in America, among the largest differences include a higher level of respect people have for each other in America than in Kenya, and a different philosophy on life. According to Angwenyi, life in Kenya is more about spending time with one's family, while life in America is focused more around entertainment. Angwenyi has gradually grown more accustomed to life in America, and therefore feels the adjustment to American life has been less difficult. While he naturally misses being home with his friends and family, he also enjoys his time running with friends while in America.
Even in America, Angwenyi prefers to eat mostly ugali, a type of hard bread made out of corn meal, although he will occasionally eat plain pizza. Angwenyi enjoys spending his free time by watching sports such as volleyball on television, watching action movies, and listening to African music. While he is not yet married, he plans on wedding and having children in the near future. As for his more long-term future, Angwenyi would prefer to be happy as a businessman with back home with his family in Kenya.

 

Yevgen Bozhko
The twenty-nine year old native of Kharkov, Ukraine is among the few Ukrainians currently on the major running circuit. Very outgoing and extremely quick with a laugh, Bozhko holds seven top-three finishes in the past year in events ranging from 8k's in Massachusetts and Virginia to a 20k in New Jersey. A very consistent runner throughout his career, Bozhko has improved his English well enough to become a translator for several Russians on the circuit. Competitors do not fear Bozhko the translator, however; Bozhko's competitors fear the top-three machine who shows no signs of slowing down as he approaches thirty.
Bozhko was born as the only son of two teachers in Kharkov, one of the biggest cities in Ukraine. Bozhko grew up both running and playing soccer as he went through school in Ukraine. After graduating from the Military Academy in Ukraine, injuries forced Bozhko to end his soccer career and convinced him to attend a second university to pursue a life in teaching. While he was attending the university, Bozhko began running more seriously and eventually made it to America in May 2003. Bozhko enjoys running in America, both for fun and for money that he can send to his family back home.
Although he misses his family and his country very much, Bozhko believes it is well worth it to run in America, a very different country from the Ukrainian life he is used to. The different food does not appeal much to Bozhko, as he eats American food only on rare occasions. Bozhko has noticed that people hold a higher style of living in America; when he is in Ukraine, he misses America and its many opportunities - not to mention the newfound friends from Kenya.
Bozhko is married to his wife of six years, who lives in Ukraine with his one-year old daughter. Bozhko enjoys a vast assortment of activities outside of running. Bozhko plays soccer and basketball and enjoys swimming and dancing. He also enjoys watching sports on television and reading books on Eastern Philosophy. After he retires from running, Bozhko hopes to begin a small business career in Ukraine with friends.

 

Silvia Skvortsova
Raised in Cheboksary, Russia, Skvortsova first came to America to run in 1991. Somewhat shy but with a sly sense of humor, Skvortsova is the oldest of three children (she has both a younger brother and a younger sister) born to factory workers in Cheboksary, a medium-sized city that is home to many Olympic champions, many trees, and a very big river. Skvortsova attended both high school and the university in Russia before coming to America. Although she has never played any other sport outside of running, Skvortsova states that she has always enjoyed running; the money that she now makes to run is an added bonus. While she keeps part of her earnings with her in America, she also sends much of her money home to support her family in Russia. Skvortsova adds that running is a very difficult business if one does not enjoy the sport.
Skvortsova has sacrificed much of her life to live and race in America, perhaps too much, as she claims that she would rather live in Russia and come to America only for competitions. She does not like much American food and would rather just maintain a diet of Russian meats and soups. Skvortsova has seen many differences in life between Russia and America. For starters, Americans have a different life mentality than Russians - in Russia, fewer questions decide how to spend one's money. In America, there are many questions that must be answered before spending any money.
Skvortsova is currently married, and although she does not have any children yet, she would like to soon have several daughters. In her free time, she enjoys trying different kinds of food and reading both mystery novels and love stories. Once she retires from running, Skvortsova would like to spend a lot of time with her family, simply working and cooking at home.
















Lyudmila Biktasheva
Biktasheva, a thirty-year old from Kamensk-Uralskiy, Russia, is a small woman with a very dry and sarcastic sense of humor. Since finishing thirteenth in the Sydney Olympics in 2000, Biktasheva has steadily improved or maintained all her running times. Specializing in mainly ten-kilometer races, Biktasheva has two victories and several other top-seven finishes at world championships and country championships across Europe. As she continues to train for more big races to come, if her past success is any indication, Biktasheva is an athlete to watch in the future.
Biktasheva has both an older sister and a younger brother, both of whom live in Russia near her home town of Kamensk-Uralskiy, a big city containing many buildings and parks not far from Siberia. She attended both high school and university in Russia before coming to America in 2001 about a week after university ended. Biktasheva views her running as just a job, albeit one that she does not enjoy. Biktasheva maintains that she mainly runs just to make money, part of which she sends home to her family in Russia.
Although she does not enjoy running, Biktasheva does not view coming to America as a sacrifice for her because she has been able to make money. While language has been a significant difficulty for her in adjusting to life in America, she does not think that the transition to American life was very difficult, partly due to the increased money she was able to make. In addition to the opportunity to make money in America, Biktasheva also loves Dunkin' Donuts, the only type of American food she enjoys. Dunkin' Donuts is also the only facet of American life that Biktasheva misses while she is in Russia. Biktasheva claims that there are many differences between Russia and America, but the differences are mainly between the people, not between lifestyles. Biktasheva has observed that Americans smile much more than Russians, reflecting the fact that Americans, on the whole, are happier than Russians.
While Biktasheva is currently single, she plans on getting married in Russia. In her free time, Biktasheva enjoys knitting and singing to make her friend and fellow runner, Yevgen Bozhko, dance. Biktasheva does not expect much in her future; she enjoys her life now and has learned a lot, and she only hopes to go back to Russia and be happy when she retires.

Tatanya Maslova
Maslova grew up in the town of Oree, a small village in the outskirts of Moscow, Russia. Maslova is the youngest child, and only daughter, of three children born to factory workers in Russia. Maslova attended both high school and university in Russia before coming to America in 1997, about ten years after she had finished her work at the university level. Maslova views her running as merely a profession that makes her a little money that she can send home to Russia to help support her family.
Maslova does not believe she has given up much to run in America because it was such a great opportunity for her to advance her lifestyle. She also thinks that her adjustment to America may have been easier because she is a professional athlete. Although Maslova views many differences between life in America and life in Russia, such as differences in people, food, and weather, many of these are for the better, especially the better weather in America. Maslova believes the biggest difference is just a difference in culture between Russia and America, although one culture is not necessarily better or worse than the other. While Maslova says she does greatly miss her family in Russia, when she is in Russia she misses her friends in America.
While Maslova is not married and does not plan on marrying any time soon, she does have an eighteen-year old daughter living in Russia. In her free time, Maslova enjoys doing anything fun, including knitting, reading, dancing, and watching movies. After finishing her running career, Maslova would like to move back to Russia and begin a second career as a hairdresser.

 

Last update: Thursday, August 5, 2004
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