Iten is a town in Elgeyo-Marakwet County in the Republic of

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

. Iten serves as the capital and is the largest town in the county. The town is located along the road between

Eldoret Eldoret is a principal town in the Rift Valley region of Kenya and serves as the capital of Uasin Gishu County. The town was referred to by white settlers as Farm 64, 64 and colloquially by locals as 'Sisibo'. As per the 2019 Kenya Population ...

and Kabarnet at the junction of the road heading to

Kapsowar Kapsowar is a Town in Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya. Prior to March 2013, it was located in the former Rift Valley Province. In 1994, Kapsowar became the headquarters of the former Marakwet District. Prior to this, the Marakwet and Keiyo tribes we ...

. Elgeyo escarpment and

Kerio River The Kerio River is a river in Turkana County, Kenya. It flows northward into Lake Turkana. It is one of the longest rivers in Kenya, originating near the equator. Course The Kerio River rises on the north slopes of the Amasya Hills to the west o ...

are located east of Iten. The town has a population of 42,312. It forms a common local authority (Iten/Tambach town council) with Tambach, a small town in the vicinity. Iten was the headquarters of the former Elgeyo-Marakwet District since 1966, when it replaced Tambach.The Standard, March 11, 2009
Scenic town continues to churn out refined athletes
/ref> Gateway to Iten town

The name of the town is a corruption of ''Hill Ten'', a local rock formation named by Joseph Thomson in 1883. The hill is located 800 meters outside the village, on the road toward Kessup. It can be best viewed from the Iten Viewpoint.

Naming

The name is a local corruption of Hill Ten, a local rock formation that was named by Joseph Thompson in 1883.MORRIS KIRUGA. Daily Nation. How local dialects influenced naming of west Kenya towns. 23 July 201

He inscribed the words Hill Ten on a rock while exploring the Kerio Valley to mark the number of hills he had conquered. The hill is located about 800 metres outside the main town, on the road toward Kessup.

Running community

St. Patrick's High School (Iten, Kenya), St. Patrick's High School is located in Iten. The school has, over the last 30 years, produced world-class long distance athletes. Alumni include Ibrahim Hussein, winner of three Boston Marathons and one New York City Marathon;

Peter Rono Peter Kipchumba Rono (born 31 July 1967) is a former Kenyan athlete, who won the 1,500 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Career Born in Kamobo village, near Kapsabet, Rono won the gold medal at the Africa Cross Country Championships in ...

, a 1988 Olympic gold medalist at 1,500 meters;

Wilson Boit Kipketer Wilson Boit Kipketer (born 6 October 1973 in Kenya) is a middle and long distance athlete most widely known for running the 3000 m steeplechase. On 13 August 1997, at the Weltklasse Zürich, he set the world record in the steeplechase at 7:59 ...

, a 1997 world champion and 2000 Olympic silver medalist in the 3,000-meter steeplechase;

Matthew Birir Matthew Kiprotich Birir (born 5 July 1972) is a former athlete from Kenya, winner of 3000 m steeplechase at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Biography Born in Eldama Ravine, Matthew Birir started running, when he attended at the famous St. Patrick's ...

, 1992 Olympic gold medalist at the 3,000-meter steeplechase; and David Rudisha, 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medalist and world record holder at 800m. The coach of these athletes, Brother

Colm O'Connell Brother Colm O'Connell is an Irish missionary and athletics coach, known as "the Godfather of Kenyan running". O'Connell is originally from Caherduggan, Mallow, County Cork. He joined the Patrician Brothers at the age of 14, training in Tullow, ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

, came to Iten in 1976 expecting to stay just three months. He has lived in Iten ever since. Many athletes, including Rudisha, and world champions Edna Kiplagat, Florence Kiplagat, Lornah Kiplagat, Linet Masai, and Mary Keitany, have made homes in Iten. O'Connell is credited in starting the influx of female athletes to Iten in the early 1990s when he trained and hosted World Champion Sally Barsosio, Rose Cheruiyot, and world junior champion Lydia Cheromei (all of whom lived in O'Connell's back garden houses). Each Christmas Eve, the town plays host to the largest women's-only race in Kenya, The

Shoe4Africa 5km The Shoe4Africa 5 km is an annual women's road running event over five kilometres that is held on Christmas Eve in the village of Iten, Kenya. Many world marathon stars have run this event. The 2012 Boston Marathon winner Sharon Cherop came ...

. It was in the 2006 edition of this race that world champion Mary Keitany began her athletics career.Runner's World Racing News
/ref> The town hosts the high altitude training centre, HATC, founded in 1999 by Lornah Kiplagat and Pieter Langerhorst. Other landmarks include the Kerio View Hotel founded in 1995 by Jean Paul Fourier. In 2012, the World Record holder in marathon (second fastest at that time) Wilson Kipsang, opened the Keeluu Resort: a lodging, conference and dining center. The book ''More Fire'' by Toby Tanser, 2008, was written in and based on Iten, as was Tanser's earlier book ''Train Hard, Win easy. The Kenyan Way.'' 1997. Iten is also a featured location in Adharanand Finn's 2012 book ''Running With The Kenyans''.

Notable people

Paul Kipkemoi Chelimo Paul Kipkemoi Chelimo (born October 27, 1990) is an Kenyan born American track and field athlete. He is the 2016 Olympic silver medalist and the 2020 Olympic bronze medalist in the 5000 meters. Career Born and brought up in Kenya Chelimo initi ...

– Olympic track & field athlete, born in Iten, lives in the USA. *

Mary Keitany Mary Jepkosgei Keitany (born 18 January 1982) is a Kenyan former professional long distance runner. She is the world record holder in a women-only marathon, having won the 2017 London Marathon in a time of 2:17:01. As of November 2022, she p ...

– Olympic track & field athlete, lives in Iten. *

Edna Kiplagat Edna Ngeringwony Kiplagat (born 15 November 1979) is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner. She was the 2011 and 2013 World Champion in the marathon. She established herself as an elite marathon runner with wins at the Los Angeles and New ...

– Olympic track & field athlete, trained in Iten, lives in Colorado. *

Florence Kiplagat Florence Jebet Kiplagat (born 27 February, 1987) is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner. She is a two-time world champion, having won at the 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and the 2010 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships ...

– Olympic track & field athlete, lives in Iten. * Lornah Kiplagat – Olympic track & field athlete, lives in Holland, Nairobi, and Iten. * David Rudisha – Olympic track & field athlete, lives in Eldoret, trained in Iten. * Asbel Kiprop – Olympic track & field athlete, trained in Iten, lives in Eldoret. * Wilson Kipsang – Olympic track & field athlete, lives and trains in Iten. * Joyce Chepkurui – Olympic track & field athlete, trained in Iten. *

Sally Barsosio Sally Barsosio (born 21 March 1978 in Keiyo District) is a Kenyan distance runner. , Barsosio is the youngest ever medallist at the World Junior Championships in Athletics, at 14 years and 182 days. Career In 1993, aged 15 years 153 days, she ...

– Olympic track & field athlete. Years 1993 to 1997, trained in Iten. * Brother

– World renowned coach. Lives in Iten. * Stephen Cherono – World record holder track & field athlete, trained in Iten, lives in Eldoret. *

Lydia Cheromei Lydia Cheromei (born 15 May 1977, in Baringo District) is a Kenyan athlete born into a family of athletes. She specialises in long distance running. She rose to fame at the age of thirteen with a win in the junior race at the IAAF World Cross C ...

– World champion track & field athlete. Years 1992 to 2010. * Jake Robertson - New Zealand national marathon record holder. At 17 he moved to Iten, Kenya with his twin brother and fellow professional runner Zane Robertson. *

Zane Robertson Zane Robertson (born 14 November 1989) is a New Zealand middle and long-distance runner. He lives in Iten, Kenya. At the age of 17 he and his twin brother Jake moved from New Zealand to Iten, Kenya, to further their running careers. Career H ...

- Olympic track & field athlete, twin brother of New Zealand national marathon record holder Jake Robertson. *

Agnes Tirop Agnes Jebet Tirop (23 October 1995 – 13 October 2021) was a Kenyan professional long-distance runner. She won bronze medals in the 10,000 metres at the 2017 and 2019 World Athletics Championships. At the 2015 IAAF World Cross Country Champions ...

- Olympic world record holder killed in Iten in 2021.

Notable places

* St. Patrick's High School (Iten, Kenya), St. Patrick's High School – A boys-only national secondary school which has fostered many notable athletes. * View Point – A private park that sits at the edge of the Elgeyo escarpment and has views of both Thompson's Hill number ten and the Gregory Rift

References

External links

*https://web.archive.org/web/20070318110920/http://www.geocities.com/hatc99/where.htm *http://www.lornah.com/ {{First and second-level administrative divisions of Kenya Elgeyo-Marakwet County Populated places in Rift Valley Province County capitals in Kenya