{{Short description|Kenyan long-distance runner (born 1984)}} {{Use British English|date=May 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{MedalTableTop|Sharon Cherop winner of 2012 Boston Marathon.jpg|180px|Cherop at the half-way point of the 2012 Boston Marathon}} {{MedalCountry|{{KEN}}}} {{MedalSport|Women's athletics}} {{MedalCompetition|World Championships}} {{MedalBronze|2011 Daegu|Marathon}} {{MedalBottom}}

'''Sharon Jemutai Cherop''' (born 16 March 1984) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specialises in the marathon. She won a bronze medal at the age of sixteen in the 5000 metres at the World Junior Championships. She was the bronze medal winner in the marathon at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics and won the Boston Marathon in 2012.

After her junior medals, it was not until 2010 that she enjoyed senior level success. She made her marathon debut at the Twin Cities Marathon (coming third) and won her first marathons in 2010, first at the Hamburg Marathon and then at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, which she won in 2:22:42 for the fastest marathon time on Canadian soil. Her personal best of 2:22:39 was set at the 2012 Dubai Marathon.

==Career==

===Early competition=== Cherop grew up in a family of cattle-raisers in the Marakwet District of Kenya. She and all three of her siblings took up athletics at a young age. She ran for her school, Tirap Primary School, and began competing at province level at age 13. She was inspired by Catherine Ndereba, who lived locally, and Evans Rutto (another local marathoner) promised to help her if she performed well.<ref name=JK>{{cite web|last=Komen|first=Jonathan|date=14 August 2011|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/201108161089.html|title=Cherop Leads Nation's Charge for Marathon Crown|work=Daily Nation|access-date=27 November 2011|via=AllAfrica}}</ref>

Cherop's first major competition was the 1999 All-Africa Games at the age of 15, but she did not make the podium, coming in fourth place.<ref>Ouma, Mark (19 September 1999). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/gete-wami-shines-again-in-the-10000m Gete Wami shines again in the 10,000m]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref> She was the bronze medallist over 5000 metres at the 2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics, finishing behind Dorcus Inzikuru and Meseret Defar.<ref>(16 October 2000). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/womens-5000m-final-1 2000 World Junior Championships – Women’s 5000m final]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref> She started training with Sing'ore Girls, under running coach Boniface Tiren, and worked alongside other promising young runners, including future world champions Janeth Jepkosgei and Vivian Cheruiyot. A knee injury cut short her running season in 2001.<ref name=JK/>

At the Discovery Kenya Great Rift Cross Country in January 2002 she took third place in the senior race behind race winner Joan Jepkorir Aiyabei.<ref>Njenga, Peter (27 January 2002). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/world-champ-limo-excels-as-a-record-2000-athl World champ Limo excels as a record 2000 athletes compete in Discovery Kenya meeting]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref> She also had national success on the track, winning the 5000&nbsp;m at the 2004 Athletics Kenya meet.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/news/newsId=25197.html Kosgei and Kemboi opt out of final for juniors' sake – Sixth Athletics Kenya Weekend meet]. IAAF (9 May 2004). Retrieved on 27 September 2010.</ref> At the Kenya Police Cross Country Championships in January 2005 she took third place in the 8&nbsp;km race behind Olympic medallist Isabella Ochichi and Cross Country medallist Jane Gakunyi.<ref>Okoth, Omulo (28 January 2005). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/ochichi-and-kamathi-take-kenyan-police-cross Ochichi and Kamathi take Kenyan Police Cross Country title]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref>

She entered the half marathon section of the Nairobi Marathon in October 2005 and she was runner-up behind Lineth Chepkirui.<ref>James Wokabi and Mutwiri Mutuota (16 March 2009). [http://www.iaaf.org/news/athletes/newsid=46151.html Focus on Athletes – Lineth Chepkirui]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref> She returned to the cross country running circuit a month later and was third at one of the AK meetings.<ref>Okoth, Omulo (26 November 2005). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/teenage-women-impress-kipketer-stuns-shami- Teenage women impress, Kipketer stuns Shami – AK Cross Country, Race Three]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref> She took part in the inaugural Shoe4Africa Women's 10km race in Iten and ran a personal best of 36:02 to take second behind Doris Changeywo. The 21-year-old Cherop had begun training with a prominent group of road athletes, including Chicago Marathon winner Evans Rutto and Boston champion Lameck Aguta.<ref>Okoth, Omulo (6 January 2006). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/changeywo-takes-inaugural-shoe4africa-womens Changeywo takes inaugural Shoe4Africa Women's 10km]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref> She began focusing more on road competitions and was third at the Tegla Loroupe Peace Race at the end of the year.<ref>Macharia, David (18 November 2006). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/matebo-and-domongole-win-titles-at-tegla-loro Matebo and Domongole win titles at Tegla Loroupe Peace Race]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref> She was fifth at the 15th Discovery Kenya Cross Country Championships in January 2007.<ref>Macharia, David (27 January 2007). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/evans-cheruiyot-proves-more-than-a-match-for Evans Cheruiyot proves more than a match for Robert Cheruiyot in Eldoret]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref>

===Marathon debut=== Cherop made her debut on the American road running circuit later that year, starting with a win at the News and Sentinel Half Marathon in a time of 1:12:26,<ref>[https://www.arrs.run/HP_PkbHM.htm News and Sentinel Half Marathon]. Association of Road Racing Statisticians (23 August 2010). Retrieved 27 September 2010.</ref> and then a fourth-place finish in a personal best of 1:10:21 at the Philadelphia Distance Run.<ref>Monahan, Ian (16 September 2007). [http://www.runningusa.org/media/wire2007/Wire2007-74.html Kibet, Chepchumba Claim Victory at Philadelphia Distance Run] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718152659/http://www.runningusa.org/media/wire2007/Wire2007-74.html|date=18 July 2011 }}. Running USA Wire. Retrieved 27 September 2010.</ref> In October she made her marathon debut at the Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis-Saint Paul. She led alongside Svetlana Ponomarenko for most of the race but she was overhauled by the Russian and Alena Vinitskaya in the final mile, having to settle for third place with a time of 2:38:45.<ref>Hareyan, Armen (7 October 2007). [https://huliq.com/ukrainian-mykola-antonenko-is-the-winner-of-twin-cities-marathon/ Ukrainian Mykola Antonenko Is The Winner of Twin Cities Marathon]. Huliq. Retrieved 27 September 2010.</ref> She took on the classic distance for a second time in April 2008 at the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, where Ponomarenko again took top honours while Cherop (15 years her junior) finished in fourth place.<ref>Monahan, Ian (27 April 2008). [http://www.iaaf.org/news/newsid=44580.html Chebii, Ponomarenko, take Country Music Marathon victories]. IAAF. Retrieved on 27 September 2010.</ref> At the Azalea Trail Run in May she set a 10K best of 32:43 for fourth place.<ref>[http://amerikenyanrunningclub.org/39.html 2008 Race Results] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20080820082936/http://amerikenyanrunningclub.org/39.html |date=20 August 2008 }}. AmeriKenyan Running Club. Retrieved on 27 September 2010.</ref>

Her first marathon of 2009 came at the Nairobi Marathon and she knocked several minutes off her personal best with a run of 2:33:53 for third place.<ref>[https://aims-worldrunning.org/results-new/2009_10.htm AIMS Race Results 2009 October]. Association of International Marathons and Distance Races. Retrieved 27 September 2010.</ref> In the women's 15&nbsp;km race at the Baringo Half Marathon in December 2009 she engaged in a race-long battle for the lead against Agnes Kiprop, although she faded in the final stages and was runner-up in 52:01&nbsp;minutes.<ref>Macharia, David (20 December 2009). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/teenager-ndiema-surprises-with-baringo-half-m Teenager Ndiema surprises with Baringo Half Marathon victory]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref> The following year she entered the Hamburg Marathon and ran a solo effort to win the race and a significant personal best of 2:28:38 – over five minutes quicker than her previous time. "It was hard running alone for so long, but I concentrated well", she said of her first major win in Europe.<ref>Wenig, Jörg (26 April 2010). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/kigen-and-cherop-take-hamburg-marathon-titles Kigen and Cherop take Hamburg Marathon titles]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref> This mark did not stand for long as she improved again at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in September 2010, where she fell over mid-race but recovered to hold off Tirfi Tsegaye to win the race in a time of 2:22:42 – the fastest ever run in Canada, beating Romania's Lidia Șimon's all-comers record set at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton.<ref>Gains, Paul (26 September 2010). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/mungara-and-cherop-take-toronto-marathon-titl Mungara and Cherop take Toronto Marathon titles as Canadian All-Comers records tumble]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref>

A third-place finish at the 2011 Boston Marathon brought Cherop a place on the national marathon team.<ref name="Monti">{{cite web|url=https://worldathletics.org/news/report/strong-winds-and-ideal-conditions-propel-muta-1|title=Strong winds and ideal conditions propel Mutai to fastest Marathon ever – Boston Marathon report|last=Monti|first=David|date=18 April 2011|publisher=World Athletics|access-date=25 May 2026}}</ref> She went on to take the bronze medal in the marathon at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics – her first international senior medal. Her placing also formed a Kenyan podium sweep with Edna Kiplagat and Priscah Jeptoo, which was a first for a world-level marathon competition.<ref name=LJ>Johnson, Len (27 August 2011). [https://worldathletics.org/news/report/womens-marathon-kiplagat-leads-historical-s Women's Marathon – Kiplagat leads historical sweep for Kenya]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref> In November she set a personal best at the Delhi Half Marathon, coming second behind Lucy Wangui in a time of 1:07:08 hours.<ref>Krishnan, Ram. Murali (27 November 2011). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/in-close-races-desisa-and-kabuu-prevail-in-ne In close races, Desisa and Kabuu prevail in New Delhi Half]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref>

She won the 2012 Kenyan Armed Forces Cross Country in January, holding off a challenge from Hellen Obiri.<ref>Mutuota, Mutwiri (21 January 2012). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/kiptoo-and-cherop-take-kenyan-military-xc-tit Kiptoo and Cherop take Kenyan military XC titles]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref> This served as preparation for the Dubai Marathon later that month and in a quick race she finished seventh but knocked three seconds off her best with a run of 2:22:39 hours.<ref>Butcher, Pat (27 January 2012). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/abshero-stuns-with-20423-debut-mergia-clocks Abshero stuns with 2:04:23 debut, Mergia clocks 2:19:31 in Dubai]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref> Three months later she ran at the 2012 Boston Marathon and defeated Jemima Sumgong in a sprint finish to win the race a time of 2:31:50 hours (slowed by warm temperatures).<ref>Morse, Parker (16 April 2012). [https://worldathletics.org/news/news/korir-and-cherop-the-best-as-warm-weather-slo Korir and Cherop the best as warm weather slows Boston]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref> In spite of this, she was not selected for the Kenyan Olympic marathon team that year.<ref>Mutuota, Mutwiri (25 April 2012). [https://worldathletics.org/competitions/olympic-games/the-xxxiii-olympic-games-7153115/news/article/kenya-announces-london-olympic-marathon-squad Kenya announces London Olympic Marathon squad]. World Athletics. Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref> She tried for a spot in the 10,000&nbsp;m, but came ninth at the national championships. She ran a 10&nbsp;km best of 32:03 minutes for third at the BAA 10K then went on to take wins at the Philadelphia Half Marathon and Turin Marathon.<ref>[http://www.tilastopaja.org/db/atw.php?ID=18433&Season=2012&Odd=0 Sharon Cherop]. Tilastopaja. Retrieved 22 January 2013.</ref><ref>[https://worldathletics.org/news/news/biwott-and-cherop-dominate-at-philadelphia-ha Biwott and Cherop dominate at Philadelphia Half Marathon]. World Athletics. (16 September 2012). Retrieved 25 May 2026.</ref>

==Achievements== *<small>All results regarding marathon, unless stated otherwise</small> {| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}} |- !colspan=6|Representing {{KEN}} |- |2000 |World Junior Championships |Santiago, Chile |bgcolor="cc9966"|3rd |5000m |16:23.73 |- |2007 |Twin Cities Marathon |Minneapolis, USA |bgcolor="cc9966"|3rd |Marathon |2:38:45 |- |2009 |Nairobi Marathon |Nairobi, Kenya |bgcolor="cc9966"|3rd |Marathon |2:33:53 |- |2010 |Hamburg Marathon |Hamburg, Germany |bgcolor=gold|1st |Marathon |2:28:38 |- |2010 |Toronto Waterfront Marathon |Toronto, Canada |bgcolor=gold|1st |Marathon |2:22:42 |- |2011 |Boston Marathon |Boston, USA |bgcolor="cc9966"|3rd |Marathon |2:22:42 |- |2012 |Boston Marathon |Boston, USA |bgcolor=gold|1st |Marathon |2:31:50 |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{World Athletics}}

{{Footer Boston Marathon Champions Women}} {{Footer Hamburg Marathon Champions Women}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cherop, Sharon}} Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:Athletes from Elgeyo-Marakwet County Category:Kenyan women long-distance runners Category:Kenyan women marathon runners Category:World Athletics Championships medalists Category:Boston Marathon women winners Category:Hamburg Marathon women winners Category:Kenyan women cross country runners Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1999 All-Africa Games Category:African Games athletes for Kenya Category:20th-century Kenyan sportswomen Category:21st-century Kenyan sportswomen