Stella Rutto
Romanian steeplechaser (born 1996)
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Stella Jepkosgei Rutto (born 12 December 1996) is a Kenyan-Romanian steeplechase runner. Representing Kenya, she won a bronze medal in the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2012 World U20 Championships. On 21 February 2022, she changed her international allegiance from Kenya to Romania.[1]
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Stella Jepkosgei Rutto[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality |  Kenya (until 21 February 2022) Romania | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 12 December 1996 (age 29)[1] Kenya | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 156 cm (5 ft 1 in)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 53 kg (117 lb)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Sport of athletics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Events | 3000 metres steeplechase Half marathon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National finals |
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| Personal bests | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| Updated on 4 April 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career
Rutto began competing as early as 2012, finishing runner-up at the Kenyan U20 Championships and winning a bronze medal at the 2012 World U20 Championships at age 15.[2] Rutto said after the competition, "I started too late in the last lap to fight for the silver [...] I am happy for Daisy and to obtain this second medal for my country, even if it is only the bronze medal."[3]
At the 2013 African U18 Championships, Rutto won a silver medal in the 2000 metres steeplechase, losing only to countrywoman Daisy Jepkemei who had beat her in 2012 as well.[4] Two years later, Rutto won her last age-group medal at the 2015 African U20 Championships, winning the 3000 m steeplechase and helping Kenya place 5th in the medal standings.[5]
In 2019, Rutto first competed in Romania, winning the Romanian International Championships steeplechase and 5000 metres as well as placing 7th in that year's Kenyan Athletics Championships steeple.[1] After winning the 2020 Romanian Athletics Championships in the 5000 m and steeplechase, she won the same two events at the 2020 Balkan Athletics Championships but was later disqualified as she had not yet been cleared to represent Romania internationally.[1][6]
Competing as a foreign national, Rutto won the 2021 Turkish Athletics Championships steeplechase and ran several half marathons in Turkey that year, debuting at 1:07:45 to win the Trabzon Half Marathon.[1] In May 2021 Rutto became a Romanian citizen.[7] On 21 February 2022, Rutto was cleared by World Athletics to represent Romania in international competitions.[2] She finished 8th at the 2024 Diamond League Shanghai in the steeplechase.[1]
Personal life
Statistics
Personal best progression
| # | Mark | Pl. | Competition | Venue | Date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10:07.4 |  | Kenyan U20 Championships | Nairobi, Kenya | 8 Jun 2012 | [2] |
| 2 | 10:07.13 | (Heat 1) | 2012 World U20 Championships in Athletics | Barcelona, Spain | 10 Jul 2012 | [2] |
| 3 | 9:50.58 |  | 2012 World U20 Championships in Athletics | Barcelona, Spain | 12 Jul 2012 | [2] |
| 4 | 9:49.09 | (Heat 1) | Kenyan Athletics Championships | Nairobi, Kenya | 9 Jul 2015 | [2] |
| 5 | 9:44.07 |  | Romanian International Championships | Cluj-Napoca, Romania | 6 Jun 2019 | [8] |
| 6 | 9:32.90 | | Romanian Athletics Championships | Cluj-Napoca, Romania | 3 Sep 2020 | [9] |
| 7 | 9:25.31 | 8th | Yangtze Delta Athletics Diamond Gala | Suzhou, China | 26 Apr 2024 | [10] |
