Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei is a Kenyan middle distance runner and former world champion.
Education
Since 1998 she attended Sing"ore Girls High School near Iten, famous for producing Kenyan women athletes. She attended the Kenyan trials for 1999 World Youth Championships, but as 400 m hurdles was not competed at the trials, she opted to take part in 800 m. She finished second and was selected for the Kenyan team, but failed to reach the final of 800 m competition in World Youth Championships held in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Career
Janeth, nicknamed "Eldoret Express" is from Kabirirsang, near Kapsabet. Famous athletes Wilson Kipketer and Wilfred Bungei are also from the same village. She started athletics while at Kapsumbeiywo Primary School and took several events.
Her record from that event still stood in 2012.
Her speciality at the time was actually 400 m hurdles. She joined International Olympic Committee-sponsored High Performance Training Centre in Eldoret in 2001.
She was then coached by 1988 olympic gold medalist Paul Ereng. The same year, she took 800 m silver medal at the African Junior Championships, and the next year she took 800 m gold medal at the World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica.
Janeth Jepkosgei took part at the 2003 All-Africa Games, but failed to reach the 800 m final.
She did beat the "B"-qualifying time, but Athletics Kenya did not sent her or any other Kenyan 800 m female runner to represent Kenya at the world championships. Her breakthrough year was 2006. She managed to beat veteran runner Maria de Lurdes Mutola of Mozambique.
She also beat Kenyan 800 m women"s record twice.
She retained the Kenyan Sportswoman of the Year award. On 24 May 2008 the 19-year-old Pamela Jelimo set a new Kenyan record of 1:55.76, beating the one previously held by Jepkosgei.
She collided with Caster Semenya of South Africa such that Jepkosgei fell and finished last in her heat at the 2009 World Championships. Jepkosgei is now coached by Claudio Berardelli.