Esther Wanjiru Maina (born March 27, 1977) is a retired female long-distance runner from Kenya.
She is from Kahuhia, Murang'a District.
On January 15, 1999 she finished second at a half marathon race in Tokyo. The race was won by Elana Meyer, who set a world record, while Wanjiru scored did also beat the previous world record by timing 1:06:49
She won the Sendai Half Marathon in 1998 and 1999, and finished second in 2000.
She finished third at the 2000 Osaka Ladies Marathon, setting her personal best of 2:23:31 hours.
Wanjiru became the first Kenyan woman to win Commonwealth Games gold medal, although Jackline Maranga won 1500 metres later at the same games.
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing  Kenya | |||||
| 1998 | Commonwealth Games | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 1st | 10,000 metres | |
| 1999 | World Championships | Seville, Spain | 11th | Marathon | 2:29:36 |
| 2000 | Osaka Ladies Marathon | Osaka, Japan | 3rd | Marathon | 2:23:31 |
| Olympic Games | Sydney, Australia | 4th | Marathon | 2:26:17 | |
She also competed in the marathon at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
She pulled out of the race whilst leading.
Commonwealth Games champions in women's 10,000 metres | |
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