NAIROBI-(MaraviPost)-Kenyan middle-
distance runner Naomi Korir has overcome a 13-year battle with congenital fistula to reach the women’s mile final at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, marking a major breakthrough in her athletics career.
Korir’s remarkable journey was highlighted by BBC Sport Africa, which reported on how the condition caused continuous urine leakage and forced her to reduce her running distances before successful treatment changed the course of her athletics career.
Now 28, Korir was born with a genitourinary tract fistula, an abnormal opening between the bladder and vagina that resulted in uncontrolled urine leakage.
The condition made training and competing particularly difficult despite her passion for sport.
The continuous leakage during exercise forced Korir to cut down on longer distances and eventually turn to shorter events, including the 100-metre hurdles.
Despite the challenges, athletics provided Korir with a sense of belonging at a time when she felt isolated because of her condition.
She continued participating in sport as she battled the physical and emotional effects of fistula.
Korir underwent two unsuccessful operations before a third procedure in August 2013 finally treated the condition.
The successful surgery was carried out at Gynocare Hospital in Eldoret, a facility specialising in fistula, obstetrics and reproductive health.
Her recovery also opened opportunities in education. Through Gynocare’s Young Fistula Programme,
Korir continued her studies and eventually completed her secondary education, while gradually rebuilding her sporting career.
She entered professional athletics in 2019 and later contributed to Kenya’s success in relay events, including winning gold in the women’s 4×400-metre relay at the 2022 African Championships.
Korir’s progress continued in 2026 when she won Kenya’s national 1,500-metre title and secured selection for the Commonwealth Games.
At the Games in Glasgow, she reached the women’s mile final and finished fifth in 4:40.62, according to official World Athletics results.
Her achievement marked her first appearance in a major global final and represented a remarkable transformation from years of battling a condition that had once threatened to derail her sporting ambitions.
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