NAIROBI, August 18, 2008 (AFP) - Mother-of-nine Rodah Keter basked in the glory of seeing her teenage daughter Pamela Jelimo keep her promise and bring home Kenya's first Olympic gold in the women's 800 metres.

'I am so happy. I have no words to express my gratitude,' said Keter, who was joined by dozens of villagers to celebrate Jelimo's win in Beijing.

'The whole village is celebrating,' she told AFP by phone from the Kiptemok village in western Kenya.

'Jelimo rung me from Beijing and I gave her my blessings. She has made the whole family proud.'

Eighteen-year-old Jelimo has been improving in every race since she switched to the two-lap event from the 400m earlier this year.

Jelimo last month promised to reward her mother -- who failed to make it in athletics in the early 1970s -- with a win in the Games.

Jelimo now sets her sights on winning a share of the Golden League million dollar jackpot with two races remaining.