United Nations Ambassador of Sport Tegla Loroupe is the World Record holder for the 20km, 25km and 30km distances (set in 2000, 2002 and 2003 respectively). Loroupe won the New York City Marathon twice – the first African woman ever to win it – and has won numerous other major marathons including London, Berlin, Boston, Rome and Hong Kong. In the late 90s she secured World championships in the half marathon three times in a row – from 1997 to 1999. In 2003, having set up the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation, Loroupe initiated an annual series of peace marathons to help counter ethnic violence in northern Kenya. She has also established a school, the Tegla Loroupe Peace Academy, in Kapenguria, northwest Kenya.