Doping returns to Kenya: Anyango tests positive for testosterone
Anyango, who won silver in the 3,000 metres at the African U20 Championships in 2019, was considered one of her country’s brightest rising stars. In January, she became only the second Kenyan woman to run 10 km in under 29 minutes, finishing second behind her compatriot Agnes Jebet Ngetich, who set a new world record at the Valencia Ibercaja race.
Anyango’s achievement came after a remarkable improvement in her times over a short period. In September 2022, she won the 10K Run Your City Joburg in Johannesburg in 33 minutes and 50 seconds, and just 14 months later, she improved her personal best to 30:01 at the Urban Trail in Lille.
The AIU stated that Anyango’s progression, shaving nearly five minutes off her time in just 16 months, raised serious suspicions. As a result, the provisional suspension was enforced after she tested positive for both EPO and testosterone, although no details have been provided about when these tests were conducted. The suspension will remain in effect until a final ruling is made, with the possibility of a four-year ban if she is found guilty.
Anyango last competed on 14 July at the Boilermaker Road Race in Utica, New York, where she finished second in the 15 km event with a time of 49:18. This year, she also participated in other editions of the Boilermaker Road Race, and even competed in Spain, finishing second in the 5,000 metres at the Mitin Desafío Nerja and seventh at the Mitin de Andújar. Additionally, she represented Kenya at the 2024 World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, where she helped her team secure the gold medal.
This latest doping case further tarnishes the reputation of Kenyan athletics, which has faced heightened scrutiny in recent years. One does not have to look far back to find precedents. In June, Kenyan 10 km road race record holder Rhonex Kipruto was handed a six-year suspension, resulting in the annulment of his world record. A month later, Lawrence Cherono, former champion of the Boston and Chicago marathons, was also handed a seven-year ban.athle
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