Mercy Cherono

==Personal==
Cherono is from [[Kipajit]] village, near [[Sotik]] town. She started running while at Kipajit Primary School and later moved to Chelimo Primary School near [[Kericho]] and eventually Ngariet Secondary School in Sotik. She is coached by Gabriel Kiptanui and managed by Gabriel Rosa. She is the oldest of six siblings. Her younger sister Sharon Chepkorir is also a runner. Their father John Koech runs a training camp in Kipajit village.<ref>Daily Nation, 29 June 2010: [http://www.nation.co.ke/sports/athletics/Celebrations%20galore%20as%20villagers%20await%20heroine/-/1100/889310/-/nmf5yf/-/index.html Celebrations galore as villagers await heroine's return]</ref>

Cherono won the Most Promising Sportswoman of the Year category at the 2009 [[Kenyan Sports Personality of the Year]] awards,<ref>The Standard, 12 December 2009: [http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/sports/InsidePage.php?id=1144030257&cid=243& Colour and pomp at Soya Gala] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716055510/http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/sports/InsidePage.php?id=1144030257&cid=243& |date=16 July 2011 }}</ref> and repeated by winning the same category the next year.<ref>{{cite news|work=The Standard|date=11 December 2010|title=Rudisha and Lagat crowned Soya best athletes|url=http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000024398/rudisha-and-lagat-crowned-soya-best-athletes|access-date=5 May 2016}}</ref>