Julius Yego, the 2015 World Javelin Champion, recently shared a deeply personal account of a moment when he was disrespected by an Athletics Kenya official. This experience, which nearly shattered his dreams, is a pivotal chapter in his journey to becoming one of the greatest javelin throwers the world has ever seen.
At the time, Yego was a young athlete eager to prove himself on the international stage. He had just won the Kenyan Championships, securing his place to represent the country in Poland. However, when he visited the Athletics Kenya office to finalize his documentation, things took a discouraging turn. An official, who did not believe Yego was capable of winning a medal, informed him that he would not be traveling. To make matters worse, the official physically threw Yego’s passport at him, an act of disrespect that left a lasting scar on the athlete’s psyche.
Yego spoke candidly about how this incident affected him, especially as a young athlete who had worked tirelessly to reach that point. The rejection was demoralizing, and it made him reflect on how many other talented athletes may have been similarly discouraged and denied the opportunity to represent their country. In his own case, he was told that he couldn’t travel simply because he didn’t appear “formidable enough” to win a medal, despite having won the national championship. The experience left him questioning not only his worth but also the support that young athletes receive in their pursuit of greatness.
The athlete also expressed how this experience could be a contributing factor to the decline of Kenya’s dominance in events like the steeplechase. He suggested that many promising athletes might give up on their dreams after facing similar rejection, losing the drive to continue competing at the highest level. Yego’s frustrations were compounded by the knowledge that such discouragements could be harming the future of athletics in Kenya.
In the wake of this difficult period, Yego found solace in a brief getaway to Malindi, where he spent a week with his girlfriend. This time allowed him to clear his mind and heal from the emotional wound. It was during this period of reflection that he redefined his approach to both his career and his relationship with the national federation. Instead of being crushed by the rejection, he resolved to use it as fuel to prove the doubters wrong.
That moment of humiliation was transformative. It ignited a fire within him that would drive him to future success. Yego went on to achieve significant milestones in his career, including winning a gold medal at the 2011 Maputo African Games, competing in the 2012 London Olympics, and finishing fourth at the 2013 World Championships. His breakthrough came in 2014, when he clinched the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, followed by his historic victory at the 2015 World Championships, which cemented his status as one of the world’s premier javelin throwers.
His success didn’t stop there. Yego went on to win a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, despite facing injury challenges that slowed his progress in the years that followed. Though injuries hindered his performance, 2024 has shown promising signs of a comeback. He remains determined to continue representing Kenya and putting the country on the global athletics map.
Yego’s journey is a testament to the resilience of athletes who, despite facing obstacles and discouragement, refuse to give up. His story is one of redemption, perseverance, and the power of using setbacks as stepping stones toward greater achievements. It serves as a reminder that support and belief from governing bodies can play a significant role in shaping the careers of athletes. When those are lacking, however, the strength of character and resolve can sometimes be the only things that keep an athlete pushing forward.
