Kenyan triple jumper Winny Bii on fire with another national record-breaking leap

Kenyan athlete Winny Chepng’etich Bii continues to blaze a trail in the world of athletics after breaking her own national record in the triple jump.

The 21-year-old leapt an impressive 13.92 metres to claim victory at the New Mexico Team Open held at the Convention Centre in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Saturday. 

This incredible jump eclipsed her previous national record of 13.66 metres, which she set nearly a year ago at the Big 12 Indoor Championships in Texas.

“It feels great to break my own record, and besides changing schools and coaches, my new school has some of the best teammates, who have been my support system,” said Bii, reflecting on her success as per Nation.

Bii credits her improvement to a significant shift in her training setup. 

In June 2023, she transferred from Oklahoma State University to Texas A&M University, where she now trains under coach Mario Sategna. She previously trained under Zivile Pukstiene, who had guided her since she moved to the United States on a sports scholarship.

The young jumper’s ambition extends beyond just national records—she is determined to break into the elite 14-metre club and qualify for the World Championships.

“My target is to hit the world championships qualifying distance, and I am working hard to achieve that as soon as possible,” she explained.

Bii acknowledged that while her hop and step phases are strong, her leap needs work. She believes improving that final phase of her jump will be the key to reaching 14 metres.

“My hop and step are fine, but my leap is too short. If I fix that, I know I will jump even further, and reaching 14 metres and the world standard will be inevitable,” she added.

Bii’s rapid rise in the triple jump mirrors the growing influence of Kenyan athletes in indoor track and field events, a discipline traditionally dominated by sprinters and jumpers from other parts of the world.

Her record-breaking performance comes just weeks after another Kenyan, hurdler Rukia Nusra, made history by becoming the first Kenyan woman to compete in the 60m hurdles indoor event.

Nusra, now a student at the University of Akron in Ohio, finished third in her heat with a time of 8.68 seconds. Although she missed out on the finals, she went on to set a new Kenyan record of 7.85 seconds in the 60m hurdles, finishing fourth overall.

Both Bii and Nusra are paving the way for future Kenyan athletes to excel in events beyond long-distance running, an area where Kenya has long been a powerhouse.

Bii’s next focus will be fine-tuning her technique as she eyes further improvements in upcoming competitions.