The 1960-born Rose Tata-Muya is a long-retired runner who specialised in the 400m hurdles in her day.

As one of Kenya’s most important track trend-setters, she competed in three Olympics, three world championships and three Commonwealth Games, and won medals at the continental level, during her 16-year career that began in 1974.

She first competed at the Commonwealth Games in 1979, at the age of 14. She won two silver medals in the African championships (400m hurdles and 800m) and a bronze medal in the 1982 African Championship. She was also the first Kenyan woman to compete at the World Championships in Helsinki.

At the All Africa Games held in Nairobi in 1987, Tata-Muya won a silver medal in the 400m hurdles race.

On retiring, she has served as a coach for the Kenyan team and was particularly keen on trying to improve Kenya’s performance in short races.

She has been decorated with the state Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW) and the Order of the Golden Heart (OGH) for her lifetime contribution to athletics.