Grace Momanyi

Who is Grace Momanyi?

Grace Kwamboka Momanyi is a Kenyan long distance runner of the Kisii tribe.

She won the 2000 and 2005 10K races at the Ottawa Marathon, setting a course record in her second victory. In 2006 she moved to Japan to represt local Dauhatsu athletics team, but was mostly out of action due to injuries. She came back on September 2007 and won couple of local races. She won Kenyan National Cross country championship in 2008.

At the 2008 World Cross Country Championships she finished tenth in the individual race, however this was not enough to be a part of the Kenyan team, who won silver medals in the team competition. At the 2008 African Championships in Athletics she finished third in the 5000 metres race. She was announced as the joint winner of the inaugural World 10K Bangalore race, finishing with exactly the same time as Elvan Abeylegesse.

Momanyi was selected to represent Kenya at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She was the national flagbearer of the Kenyan team at the opening ceremony. She was to participate the women's 10,000 metres. However, she did not compete as she was replaced by reserve Peninah Arusei athlete under controversial circumstances. She did much to make up for her Olympic disappointment, setting a 5000 m best at the Memorial Van Damme meeting and going on to win the Great Yorkshire Run 10K race in 32:44 just two days later.