Elizabeth Olaba: A Woman of many firsts

Elizabeth Olaba has experienced many firsts throughout her illustrious sporting career. 

The national shot put record holder remains Kenya’s foremost thrower in the field events and even in retirement from competitive sports, she has  no equal in the current crop of javelin, shot put and discus hurlers.

Olaba was part of the team that represented Kenya at the World Masters in Durban, South Africa, in 1997 where she won a gold medal in the shot put, silver in discus and bronze in the javelin event.

Olaba also participated at the 2007 World Masters in Rome, Italy, alongside heptathlon athlete Caroline Kola, 400m hurdles record holder Rose Tata-Muya and sprinter Esther Kavaya.

She was ranked fourth in shot put, fourth in javelin and fifth in discus. She also took part in the 2016 World Masters in Perth, Australia as an official.

Rich resume

The wife of former national team coach Tom Olaba attributes her rise through the ranks at the Kenya Prisons Service to hard work and dedication. She served under seven Commissioners of Prisons since joining the service as a wardress in 1973 until her retirement in 2014.

During the 13th Open Africa Masters Athletics Championships, the 67-year-old  bagged gold in women’s 65-69 discus throw with a mark of 24.32m.

“It was a stress-free competition, I did it with a lot of ease,” said the former Africa javelin record holder.

She also threw 10.55m in shot put to bag another gold in her category.

“Shot put is my forte, I’m yet to get a worthy challenger in the continent,” said Olaba who in 2002 landed a one-year coaching stint in Malawi.

Olaba’s national record in shot put (15.39m), set during the All Africa Games at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani in 1987, is still intact almost four decades later.

Prior to that, she had set a continental record in women’s Javelin in 1976 which was ultimately broken by Eunice Nekesa in 1991.

Although Olaba has a rich resume in the world of sports both locally and internationally, the gold medal she won at the 1987 All Africa Games remains her biggest achievement.