Cherotich demonstrated her name perfectly in the women’s steeplechase final

Cherotich is a name that combines two words. The first part is “Cherot,” which means the act of bringing cattle back, and the second part, “tich,” means the cattle.

Meaning of the name Cherotich

There is a famous saying among the Kalenjin community in Kenya that, “no one should worry about cattle (tich) being brought back in the evening (cherot) by a great warrior.” While naming their children, the Kalenjin community would either use the time of the day, or a natural occurrence to give names.  Besides the hope that the name would mean what it means for a child, “Cherotich” is also given to children born in the evening, specifically the time when the herdsmen bring back the cattle to a safe enclosure to spend the night.

There had been surprises in the earlier finals at the championships, in which, like it happened in the men’s steeplechase race, the first part of the race is ran slowly and then there would be a frantic finish in the end that makes it feel like a gamble to fins the winner.

Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai must have seen that, and in the women’s race she ensured it was a fast and honest 3000m steeplechase race. The first 1000m was crossed in 2:55.20, with the field already in a single file and a different race of eight runners forming at the front.

However, the reigning Olympic Champion fell at a barrier and had to be taken off the track by first aiders.

Winfred Yavi of Bahrain led at the bell with Cherotich and Kazakthan’s Norah Jeroto closely behind her. 

As they tackled the last barrier, Cherotich went wider and began to kick past Yavi. It was a strong kick that saw the gap rapidly grow as Cherotich went on to win the race in a new course record of 8:51.59. Yavi came in second in 8:56.46. 

Jeruto and the other Kenyan who was also closing the gap rapidly, Doris Lemgole, were involved in a collision at the last water jump and both fell allowing Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayew to pass them and settle in the bronze position at 8:58.86.

In the Kenyan community where Cherotich was born, cows were highly regarded as a measure of stature, success, and wealth—much like the gold medal that the Paris Olympics bronze medalist secured.

Cherotich the warrior

“I am so happy to win today. Improving from bronze to gold is amazing to me. I was confused at the start because both me and Winfred (Yavi, BRN) are very strong. I didn’t know how it would go but I was ready for it,” she said after the race. 

Despite the great times posted, still Cherotich said she din’t feel that the pace was that fast and all through believed in  her finishing kick. 

“In the last 400m, I said, ‘This is my moment.’ I remember my coach told me, ‘Faith, you can do it.’ He told me to not be afraid and to follow the best no matter who the best is, and I might be the winner,” said Cherotich.

Like she did with her world U20 medal in 2022, upgrading it from the bronze she won in Nairobi in 2021 to the gold in Cali, Cherotich upgraded her 2023 bronze to gold. This was enough demonstration that she can be equal to a successful Kalenjin warrior who can be relied upon by the community.

The other meaning to her name, which touches on the time she was born, which was in the evening, the successful execution of her successful race happened almost at the same time in which she was born.

Faith returns cattle home.

In short, Cherotich returning cattle back to her community in the evening is what her name means, and it should be a cause for great celebration. The stolen cattle are back in the enclosure! This was a fourth gold medal for Kenya so far in Tokyo 25, with more expected in the remaining days.