Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet announces birth of first child

Celebrated long-distance runner Beatrice Chebet has announced the arrival of her first child, revealing that she welcomed a baby boy on June 11.

The athlete described the milestone as the beginning of a "beautiful new chapter" in her life, sharing the joyful news with fans on social media.

Chebet posted a heartwarming graphic featuring photographs of her newborn's tiny hands and feet, accompanied by the simple message, "He's Here."

The Olympic gold medallist also shared an emotional caption, writing, "Tiny hands, tiny feet, and a love so big. A beautiful new chapter begins. Welcome to our world, sweet little baby boy."

The announcement comes just weeks after Chebet was surprised with a baby shower organised by close friends and family.

The celebration brought together several notable figures from Kenya's athletics fraternity, including her training partner and close friend, Faith Kipyegon.

Before becoming a mother, Chebet spoke about the importance of having a strong support system, expressing gratitude to her family, friends, mentors, and fellow athletes for their unwavering encouragement throughout her journey.

The runner had earlier revealed her intention to focus on motherhood, stepping away from competitive athletics after an extraordinary 2025 season.

At the beginning of the year, she shared her plans in a heartfelt message, writing: "I've chased finish lines, medals and dreams. Now I'm chasing a love I haven't met yet. Motherhood begins in 2026."

The touching announcement quickly drew thousands of congratulatory messages from fans, friends and fellow athletes celebrating the special moment.

Media personality Carol Radull commented, "Congratulations."

Yvonne A. Frost wrote, "Congratulations."

Italian athlete Nadia Battocletti added, "Congratulations Beatrice."

Before taking a break from competition, Chebet enjoyed a remarkable run on the Diamond League circuit, claiming victories in Xiamen, Rabat and Rome before securing another win at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.

She also etched her name into the history books by breaking the women's 5,000m world record with a stunning time of 13:58.06.