The 5-foot-8, 130-pound junior won the state meet with a time of 15:32.30, breaking the tape 9.39 seconds ahead of his next-closest competitor. Kipyego also notched a win at the Class C state meet in 16:25.7, leading the Saints to a second-place finish as a team. In his first year as a distance runner, he was the top Rhode Island finisher at the 2021 New England Cross Country Championships, crossing the line in 11th with a time of 16:50.4, and he finished 20th at the Eastbay Northeast Regional Championships.
Kipyego has maintained a weighted B-plus average in the classroom. He will begin his senior year of high school this fall.
Kipyego’s older brother, Darius, was a two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year in track & field. Devan has volunteered on behalf of local road races, and has donated his time to multiple community service initiatives through his church.