An ageless Millicent Ndoro is in her best form ever as she returns to Glasgow, Scotland, for this year’s Commonwealth Games, which started on Thursday.
As the 39-year-old goes back to the Scottish city - where she began her first overseas tour with Team Kenya at the Games 12 years ago - her dream is to make a memorable impression.
She is the only surviving member of Kenya’s 2014 team besides javelin thrower Julius Yego and para powerlifter Joyce Njuguna.
The Kenya Police sprinter’s confidence is driven by the inspiring and landmark performances of Yego and Njuguna at the 2014 Games. Based on their current good form, it is possible that the two could rewrite the history books at this year’s Games.
Yego, aged 37, won the country’s first javelin title at the Games, while Njuguna, aged 50, won Kenya’s first medal in either able-bodied or para powerlifting, taking home the bronze in the heavyweight category.
Having failed to progress through the heats of the 100m, 200m and 4 x100m races, Ndoro is now on a different mission in Glasgow, aiming to emulate Yego and Njuguna.
Like Yego and Njuguna, Ndoro is in the best form of her life, as evidenced by her jaw-dropping performances this season — something she hints is just the tip of the iceberg.
She broke the 200m national record by 0.21 seconds when she won the national trials for the Commonwealth Games and Kenya National Championships in a time of 22.91 seconds on June 19 at the Nyayo stadium.
This result saw her retain her national title and secure her fifth victory, surpassing her previous personal best of 23.51 seconds and breaking Maximilla Imali’s national record time of 23.12 seconds set at the 2022 Commonwealth Games trials.
Ndoro also secured her fourth national 100m title with a significant personal best of 11.52 during the national trials for the Commonwealth Games and the Kenya National Championships. This makes her the third fastest woman in the country, behind Imali (11.19 in 2022) and Eunice Kadogo (11.47 in 2015).
“A lot has happened since 2014, when I was still naive and trying to find my bearing on the international stage,” said Ndoro, who will be making her fourth appearance at the Games, having previously competed in Gold Coast, Australia in 2018 and Birmingham, England in 2022. “I’ve grown in the sport and I know what I want. I have picked at the right time, and as they say, God’s timing is perfect,” said Ndoro, who has also competed in four Africa Athletics Championships and two African Games.
She said her dream is to overcome the obstacles that have prevented her from reaching the podium at three past championships, as well as failing to qualify for the World Athletics Championships and Olympic Games.
“It’s about upholding my discipline, eating well, and training hard without getting injured,” said Ndoro, who has won more than six multi-titles at the Kenya Police Service Championships.
At the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Ndoro failed to progress from the 100m and 200m heats, but reached the final of the 4x400m, finishing fifth. She also reached the semi-finals of the 200m at the 2018 Gold Coast Games.
Ndoro made her international debut in her first season of athletics in 2010, representing Kenya at the Africa Athletics Championships in Nairobi, where she reached the semi-finals of the 100m and 200m.
She posted similar results at the 2012 Africa Athletics Championships in Benin, and the 2015 Africa Athletics Championships in Marrakech, Morocco.
Ndoro also competed in the same championships in Durban, South Africa (2016), Asaba, Nigeria (2018), St Pierre, Mauritius (2022) and Accra, Ghana (2023), reaching the semi-finals of the 200m in each event. Her only continental medal was won at the 2019 African Games in Rabat, Morocco, where she teamed up with Imali, Maureen Thomas and Joan Cherono to win bronze in the 4x400 metres relay.
The mother of one thanks God for her longevity, which she attributes to hard work and discipline. She has also overcome the injuries that are synonymous with athletes to excel.
Ndoro has dominated and established her authority on the local scene, leaving younger athletes in her wake.
“I won’t be slowing down soon. Only God will decide when to stop me. I will run until my legs say enough is enough,” she said.
Her training schedule starts on Mondays with a long run. She does her speed work on Tuesdays and Fridays, and has reserved Wednesdays and Thursdays for the gym. “I do another long run on Saturday,” she said, adding that her diet involves lots of vegetables and minimal fat.
In the end, Ndoro would like to become a coach and encourage young people to take up athletics. “I want to give back to my home town of Kisii, where there is so much talent,” said Ndoro.
