Eliud Kiptanui
Encyclopedia
Eliud Kiptanui is a Kenya
n long distance
runner
who specialises in the marathon
.
. He was the first child in a family of six and, like many Kenyans, he studied up to secondary school level.
Kiptanui began to take running seriously after leaving school at 16, using the prize money to help pay for his sibling's education. He was encouraged by his performance in a 15 km in Kenya in 2008, noting that although he finished in ninth place, all those who finished ahead of him were elite runners.
Kiptanui travelled to Norway
in July 2009 to compete in the 3000 metres
at the Bislett Games
, where he finished in fifth position. However, it was a performance in his native Kenya which attracted the attention of athletics manager Volker Wagner. Kiptanui won the Safaricom Marathon in Kisumu
in December of that year, winning the race with a time of 2:12:17 and outrunning the second-place finisher by a margin of over seven minutes.
in April 2010, but his travel schedule was disrupted by the Eyjafjallajökull eruption
and he instead settled for the Prague Marathon three weeks later as an alternative. He methodically paced himself in the race and first overtook Denis Ndiso, and then the race favourite Yemane Tsegay
. Kiptanui completed the second half of the race faster than the first and was rewarded with a new personal best time and course record of 2:05:39, raising him into the top twenty fastest ever marathon runners in only his second race over the distance. This was in spite of the fact that the Prague course is not typical fast as it contains a several kilometre section of cobblestones. Kiptanui pledged to use the US$75,000 prize money to help his brothers and sisters attend school in Kenya. He was touted as a possible winner at the 2010 Berlin Marathon
, but he ended up in fifth place with a time of 2:08:05 while compatriot Patrick Makau took the honours.
His first race of 2011 was the Rotterdam Marathon
and came fifth, some minutes off the winner Wilson Chebet
.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n long distance
Long-distance track event
Long-distance track event races require runners to balance their energy. These types of races are predominantly aerobic in nature and at the highest level, exceptional levels of aerobic endurance is required more than anything else...
runner
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
who specialises in the marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
.
Early life
Kiptanui was born and raised in Kaplelach, Uasin Gishu DistrictUasin Gishu District
Uasin Gishu District is one of the seventy-one districts of Kenya, located in the Rift Valley Province. The city of Eldoret is its capital, administrative center and commercial center....
. He was the first child in a family of six and, like many Kenyans, he studied up to secondary school level.
Kiptanui began to take running seriously after leaving school at 16, using the prize money to help pay for his sibling's education. He was encouraged by his performance in a 15 km in Kenya in 2008, noting that although he finished in ninth place, all those who finished ahead of him were elite runners.
Kiptanui travelled to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in July 2009 to compete in the 3000 metres
3000 metres
The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and...
at the Bislett Games
Bislett Games
The Bislett Games is an annual track and field event at the Bislett Stadion in Oslo, Norway. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. It is sponsored by ExxonMobil and officially known as the ExxonMobil Bislett Games.-History:The first...
, where he finished in fifth position. However, it was a performance in his native Kenya which attracted the attention of athletics manager Volker Wagner. Kiptanui won the Safaricom Marathon in Kisumu
Kisumu
Kisumu is a port city in western Kenya at , with a population of 355,024 . It is the third largest city in Kenya, the principal city of western Kenya, the immediate former capital of Nyanza Province and the headquarters of Kisumu County. It has a municipal charter but no city charter...
in December of that year, winning the race with a time of 2:12:17 and outrunning the second-place finisher by a margin of over seven minutes.
European marathon debut
Kiptanui intended to make his European marathon debut at the Vienna MarathonVienna Marathon
The Vienna City Marathon is an annual marathon race over the classic distance of 42.195 km held in Vienna, Austria since 1984. The first edition was held on March 25, 1984 with a total of 794 competitors...
in April 2010, but his travel schedule was disrupted by the Eyjafjallajökull eruption
Air travel disruption after the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption
In response to concerns that volcanic ash ejected during the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland would damage aircraft engines, the controlled airspace of many European countries was closed to instrument flight rules traffic, resulting in the largest air-traffic shut-down since World War II...
and he instead settled for the Prague Marathon three weeks later as an alternative. He methodically paced himself in the race and first overtook Denis Ndiso, and then the race favourite Yemane Tsegay
Yemane Tsegay
Yemane Adhane Tsegay . World Marathon Majors. Retrieved on 2010-10-17. is an Ethiopian long distance runner who specialises in the marathon....
. Kiptanui completed the second half of the race faster than the first and was rewarded with a new personal best time and course record of 2:05:39, raising him into the top twenty fastest ever marathon runners in only his second race over the distance. This was in spite of the fact that the Prague course is not typical fast as it contains a several kilometre section of cobblestones. Kiptanui pledged to use the US$75,000 prize money to help his brothers and sisters attend school in Kenya. He was touted as a possible winner at the 2010 Berlin Marathon
Berlin Marathon
The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate...
, but he ended up in fifth place with a time of 2:08:05 while compatriot Patrick Makau took the honours.
His first race of 2011 was the Rotterdam Marathon
Rotterdam Marathon
The Rotterdam Marathon is an annual marathon that has been held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands since 1981. It has been held in April of every year since the third edition in 1984, and attracts many top athletes. It has also been ranked as one of the top 10 marathons in the world by Runner's World...
and came fifth, some minutes off the winner Wilson Chebet
Wilson Chebet
Wilson Kwambai Chebet is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner who specialises in road running competitions....
.
Achievements
- All results regarding marathon, unless stated otherwise
Representing 2010 Prague Marathon Prague, Czech Republic 1st 2:05:39