Y is for #Yego

A-Z-KOT-phone-YJulius Yego, is a Kenyan track-and-field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. Growing up, Yego would watch YouTube videos of world-renowned athletes – learning and improving his technique. Yego’s story and his triumph in the javelin in a nation known more for long-distance runners endeared him to the nation. His time watching videos online teaching himself earned him the nickname The YouTube Athlete used in a marketing campaign for a telecommunications company in Kenya .

In Glasgow in August of 2014 during his maiden Commonwealth Games appearance, Yego injured himself in his warm up. His recovery and performance ended up winning him Kenya’s first javelin gold medal in the history of Commonwealth Games. He remains an inspiration to Kenyans on Twitter and across social media.