For an athlete, attaining success isn’t always solely a result of their hard work and dedication to their dreams. Sometimes, the amount of support they have around them can play a pivotal role in shaping their life. For Kenyan middle-distance runner and Olympic medalist Hellen Obiri, this support has been crucial in helping her become one of the most decorated figures in track and field in her country.

Hailing from a small town in southwestern Kenya, Obiri moved to the United States to pursue her goal of becoming a world-renowned distance runner. Her family has remained unwavering in their support, helping her stay focused on her long-term goals.

Who is Hellen Obiri married to?

Hellen is married to Tom Nyaundi, a former runner himself, who currently assists his wife with her training. Nyaundi came to the US with Obiri in late 2022 to settle in Boulder, Colorado, where she could refine her skills under the guidance of Dathan Ritzenhein. When Hellen won the Boston Marathon earlier that year, she encountered a number of challenges that she wasn’t prepared for prior to her first major international competition outside of Kenya. “It was a challenge because you don’t have family in the US,” revealed Obiri to BBC in a later interview.

Obiri’s decision to leave her country and parents behind wasn’t an easy one, but she believes it was the right call. The sprinter aimed to refine her skills with Ritzenhein’s close guidance to monitor her progress and challenges closely. Fortunately, Tom wasn’t one to let his wife make the arduous journey to the US alone. Instead, he joined Hellen soon after her move to America, and they have faced her challenges together ever since.

Their migration has also helped the Olympian find it more rewarding to push herself on the track every day. “You don’t need to think about anything else. You are thinking about your family and the race,” said the Kenyan sprinter in an interview with Bizna Kenya in 2023. Together, they have made up their minds to give their little daughter a better life as well.

Does the track and field star have any children?

Hellen and Tom are the proud parents of seven-year-old Tania ‘Blessing’ Macheche. The sprinter had stated many times that it was the distance between herself and Tania that made her the saddest during her time alone in the US. “Sometimes the time difference (for) calling (home) is not good. Maybe when you call the child is sleeping,” BBC quoted Obiri speaking about how she dealt with being far away from her child. “She (Tania) was always telling me ‘Mommy, I want you to come now. When she tells you, you feel like crying, you feel you don’t have morale. Why am I here and my baby’s crying there?” elaborated the doting mother whose priorities seemed jumbled at one point.

Eventually, they all managed to address the issue. When Tom and Tania showed up at the finishing line to greet Hellen after her victory at the Boston Marathon, she was visibly overwhelmed. Remembering the moment, Obiri noted, “That was one good moment for me, at the finish line seeing my daughter. I cannot even explain what I felt.”

For now, Tania is enrolled in a neighborhood school and also has a few friends to boast about. As her family strives to settle down in their new roles and lives, how will Obiri fare at the Paris Games? Share your predictions with us in the comments.