Mary Jepkosgei Keitany
Encyclopedia
Mary Jepkosgei Keitany (born January 17, 1982 in Kisok, Baringo District
) is a runner from Kenya
who specialises in the long distance events. She won silver at the 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships
and became the World Half Marathon
champion two years later. She won the 2011 London Marathon
with a personal best of 2:19:19 hours – making her the fourth fastest woman ever in the event.
Her personal best of 1:05:50 in the half marathon
is the current women's world record. She also holds the world record in the women's 10 miles (50:05 minutes), 20 km (62:36), and the 25 km (1:19:53).
in Europe.
She won a silver medal at the 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships
, finishing second only to Lornah Kiplagat
who broke the world record. She married fellow Kenyan athlete Charles Koech in late 2007 and the couple had a son, Jared Kipchumba, in mid 2008. After her year out, she returned to competition at the World 10K Bangalore
in May 2009. She finished one second behind the winner Aselefech Mergia
, but set a new personal best of 32:09 in the 10 km. In September that year, she finished the 2009 Lille Half Marathon
with 1:07:00, which was a winning mark and the seventh fastest run of all-time over the distance.
Her run in Lille
meant she had qualified for the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
in Birmingham. She outpaced Aberu Kebede
to win her first World Championship, setting a new personal best of 1:06:36 and breaking the Championship record. She also took a second gold as part of the winning Kenyan squad in the team competition. Reflecting on the win she noted "it's my best ever time, so I'm so happy...I had a baby just 1 year and 3 months ago." Her 15KM interval time, 46:51 minutes, is better than the world record 46:55 held by Kayoko Fukushi
of Japan
, but will not be ratified as a world record due to low elevation of the interval related to the race start. Her time was the second fastest ever in the half marathon (after Lornah Kiplagat) and the director of the New York City Marathon
, Mary Wittenberg
, suggested that she could become a world-beater over the full marathon distance in the coming years. The half marathon time was a new African record, the previous record, 1:06:44 hours, was set by Elana Meyer
of South Africa
in 1999. She also beat the previous Kenyan record
1:06:48 she had set in Udine two years earlier.
of Japan
since 2005. Her quick time left her almost five minutes ahead of the runner-up Alice Timbilili
. She used the Portugal Half Marathon
in September as preparation for the New York City Marathon
and led from the front to win the race largely uncontested in a time of 1:08:46. In her debut run at the 2010 NYC Marathon
she was among the leading three for much of the race but faded in the latter stages to complete the distance in 2:29:01 hours for third place.
Keitany began 2011 in record-breaking form as she won the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon
with a world record time of 1:05:50. This marked the first time a woman had run the distance in under 66 minutes and she set a number of other records along the way, including a world record of 1:02:36 for 20 km and world best times for the 8 km and 10-mile markers. She then won the 2011 London Marathon
in a time of 2:19:17, pulling away from the field at the 14-mile mark and becoming the fourth fastest woman ever over the marathon distance. She won for a second time at the Portugal Half Marathon and improved upon her own course record with a winning time of 1:07:54 hours.
She is married to another runner Charles Koech and gave birth to her first child in 2008.
She trains at the Adidas camp in Iten
, is managed by Gianni Demadonna and is coached by Gabriele Nicola.
Baringo District
Baringo District is an administrative district in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. Its capital town is Kabarnet. The district has a population of 264,978 and an area of 8,646 km² ....
) is a runner from Kenya
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...
who specialises in the long distance events. She won silver at the 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships
2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships
The 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships were held in Udine, Italy on 14 October 2007.-Individual:-Team:-Individual:-Team:...
and became the World Half Marathon
IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
The IAAF World Half Marathon Championships is an annual half marathon competition organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was contested from 1992 to 2005, and replaced by the IAAF World Road Running Championships, a 20 kilometres race which had its inaugural...
champion two years later. She won the 2011 London Marathon
2011 London Marathon
The 2011 London Marathon took place on Sunday, 17 April 2011. The men's elite race saw Emmanuel Mutai win in a course record time to become the fourth fastest ever over the distance. Runner-up Martin Lel sprinted to the line to beat Patrick Makau, completing a Kenyan sweep of the podium...
with a personal best of 2:19:19 hours – making her the fourth fastest woman ever in the event.
Her personal best of 1:05:50 in the half marathon
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
is the current women's world record. She also holds the world record in the women's 10 miles (50:05 minutes), 20 km (62:36), and the 25 km (1:19:53).
Career
She started running while at primary school. In 2002, she joined the Hidden Talent Academy. In January 2006 she placed 21st in her first senior race [Shoe4Africa Women's race], after some success in local races, she competed abroad for the first time, winning some road racesRoad running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
in Europe.
She won a silver medal at the 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships
2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships
The 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships were held in Udine, Italy on 14 October 2007.-Individual:-Team:-Individual:-Team:...
, finishing second only to Lornah Kiplagat
Lornah Kiplagat
Lornah Kiplagat is a Dutch long-distance runner. She was born in Kabiemit, Rift Valley Province, Kenya and came to the Netherlands in 1999. She gained Dutch citizenship in 2003 and has competed for the Netherlands since...
who broke the world record. She married fellow Kenyan athlete Charles Koech in late 2007 and the couple had a son, Jared Kipchumba, in mid 2008. After her year out, she returned to competition at the World 10K Bangalore
World 10K Bangalore
The World 10K Bangalore is an annual 10 kilometres road running competition which takes place in Bangalore, India. The competition was first held in 2008 and usually takes place in late May...
in May 2009. She finished one second behind the winner Aselefech Mergia
Aselefech Mergia
Aselefech Mergia Medessa is an Ethiopian long-distance runner.She began taking part in professional road races in 2006, starting with a seventh place finish at the Delhi Half Marathon....
, but set a new personal best of 32:09 in the 10 km. In September that year, she finished the 2009 Lille Half Marathon
Lille Half Marathon
The Lille Métropole Half Marathon is an annual half marathon foot race which takes place in Lille, France in early September. First organised by the Association de Promotion des Événements Lillois in 1986, the race began as a marathon event before switching to the shorter distance in 1996...
with 1:07:00, which was a winning mark and the seventh fastest run of all-time over the distance.
Her run in Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
meant she had qualified for the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
The 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held in Birmingham, United Kingdom on 11 October 2009. It was the final event of the International Association of Athletics Federations' 2009 World Athletics Series.-Organisation:...
in Birmingham. She outpaced Aberu Kebede
Aberu Kebede
Aberu Kebede Shewaye is an Ethiopian long distance runner who specialises in road running competitions. Her half marathon best of 1:07:39 is one of the fastest ever by an Ethiopian woman...
to win her first World Championship, setting a new personal best of 1:06:36 and breaking the Championship record. She also took a second gold as part of the winning Kenyan squad in the team competition. Reflecting on the win she noted "it's my best ever time, so I'm so happy...I had a baby just 1 year and 3 months ago." Her 15KM interval time, 46:51 minutes, is better than the world record 46:55 held by Kayoko Fukushi
Kayoko Fukushi
is a Japanese long-distance runner who specializes in the 5000 and 10,000 metres. Fukushi represented Japan at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, but will not be ratified as a world record due to low elevation of the interval related to the race start. Her time was the second fastest ever in the half marathon (after Lornah Kiplagat) and the director of the New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
, Mary Wittenberg
Mary Wittenberg
Mary Wittenberg is the President and Chief Executive Officer of New York Road Runners . As leader of the organization, Wittenberg oversees the ING New York City Marathon and several other races, events, and programs that draw over 300,000 yearly participants.Under Wittenberg's leadership, the NYRR...
, suggested that she could become a world-beater over the full marathon distance in the coming years. The half marathon time was a new African record, the previous record, 1:06:44 hours, was set by Elana Meyer
Elana Meyer
Elana Meyer is a former long-distance runner from South Africa, who won the silver medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in the 10,000 metre event....
of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1999. She also beat the previous Kenyan record
Kenyan records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Kenya maintained by Athletics Kenya .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to a longer distanceA = affected by altitude# = not officially ratifiedOT = oversized track-External links:*...
1:06:48 she had set in Udine two years earlier.
World records and marathon running
She won the 2010 Abu Dhabi Half Marathon. She also won the 2010 Berlin 25K race, setting a new world record 1:19:53 hours. The previous record was held by Mizuki NoguchiMizuki Noguchi
is a Japanese professional long-distance runner who specialises in the marathon event. She is an Olympic champion over the distance and set two world records in 2005....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
since 2005. Her quick time left her almost five minutes ahead of the runner-up Alice Timbilili
Alice Timbilili
Alice Jemeli Timbilil is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner. She is a two-time Olympian, having competed over 10,000 metres at both the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics....
. She used the Portugal Half Marathon
Portugal Half Marathon
Portugal Half Marathon is an annual half marathon contested every September in Lisbon, Portugal.A new, faster course was established for the race in 2010 and 25 km record holder Mary Keitany duly responded by setting a women's course record of 1:08:46...
in September as preparation for the New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
and led from the front to win the race largely uncontested in a time of 1:08:46. In her debut run at the 2010 NYC Marathon
2010 New York City Marathon
The 41st New York City Marathon took place on Sunday , 2010. Sponsored by ING, the competition was the fifth World Marathon Major of 2010 and an IAAF Gold Label Road Race. A record 45,344 people were entered into the race. Ethiopian runner Gebregziabher Gebremariam won the men's race in a time of...
she was among the leading three for much of the race but faded in the latter stages to complete the distance in 2:29:01 hours for third place.
Keitany began 2011 in record-breaking form as she won the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon
Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon
Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon is an annual half marathon held in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.The first edition, in 2007, saw Samuel Wanjiru breaking the world record, but Wanjiru himself set a new world record only a month later in another race...
with a world record time of 1:05:50. This marked the first time a woman had run the distance in under 66 minutes and she set a number of other records along the way, including a world record of 1:02:36 for 20 km and world best times for the 8 km and 10-mile markers. She then won the 2011 London Marathon
2011 London Marathon
The 2011 London Marathon took place on Sunday, 17 April 2011. The men's elite race saw Emmanuel Mutai win in a course record time to become the fourth fastest ever over the distance. Runner-up Martin Lel sprinted to the line to beat Patrick Makau, completing a Kenyan sweep of the podium...
in a time of 2:19:17, pulling away from the field at the 14-mile mark and becoming the fourth fastest woman ever over the marathon distance. She won for a second time at the Portugal Half Marathon and improved upon her own course record with a winning time of 1:07:54 hours.
She is married to another runner Charles Koech and gave birth to her first child in 2008.
She trains at the Adidas camp in Iten
Iten
Iten is a town in Rift Valley Province of Kenya. It is located along the road between Eldoret and Kabarnet. Elgeyo escarpment and Kerio River are located east of Iten. The town has a population of 4000 ....
, is managed by Gianni Demadonna and is coached by Gabriele Nicola.
Achievements
| Year | Competition | Venue | Distance | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 2006 in athletics (track and field) The following events in athletics took place in 2006:-Championships:* March: 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships * March: 2006 Commonwealth Games... |
Sevilla Half Marathon | Seville Seville Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level... , Spain |
Half marathon | 1st |
| San Silvestre Olivais 10K | Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of... , Spain |
10 km | 1st | |
| 2007 2007 in athletics (track and field) This article contains an overview of the sport of athletics, including track and field, cross country and road running, in the year 2007.-World:*World Championships in Athletics*World Athletics Final*World Cross Country Championships... |
Almeria Half Marathon | Almeria Almería Almería is a city in Andalusia, Spain, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the province of the same name.-Toponym:Tradition says that the name Almería stems from the Arabic المرية Al-Mariyya: "The Mirror", comparing it to "The Mirror of the Sea"... , Spain |
Half marathon | 1st |
| Vitry-sur-Seine Humarathon | Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... , France |
Half marathon | 1st | |
| Puy-en-Velay 15k | Puy-en-Velay, France | 15 km | 1st | |
| Lille Half Marathon Lille Half Marathon The Lille Métropole Half Marathon is an annual half marathon foot race which takes place in Lille, France in early September. First organised by the Association de Promotion des Événements Lillois in 1986, the race began as a marathon event before switching to the shorter distance in 1996... |
Lille Lille Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium... , France |
Half marathon | 1st | |
| World Road Running Championships 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships The 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships were held in Udine, Italy on 14 October 2007.-Individual:-Team:-Individual:-Team:... |
Udine Udine Udine is a city and comune in northeastern Italy, in the middle of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, between the Adriatic sea and the Alps , less than 40 km from the Slovenian border. Its population was 99,439 in 2009, and that of its urban area was 175,000.- History :Udine is the historical... , Italy |
Half marathon | 2nd | |
| 2009 2009 in athletics (track and field) This page contains an overview of the year 2009 in athletics.The major competition of the year was the 2009 World Championships in Athletics. At the event, Usain Bolt reaffirmed himself as one of the world's foremost athletes with world records in the 100 and 200 metres... |
World Half Marathon Championships 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships The 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held in Birmingham, United Kingdom on 11 October 2009. It was the final event of the International Association of Athletics Federations' 2009 World Athletics Series.-Organisation:... |
Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... , England |
Half marathon | 1st |
| Delhi Half Marathon | New Delhi New Delhi New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is... , India |
Half marathon | 1st | |
| 2011 2011 in athletics (track and field) In 2011, the foremost athletics event will be the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu. Other major global level competitions set to occur in 2011 are the World Cross Country Championships and the World Half Marathon Championships.... |
Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon is an annual half marathon held in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.The first edition, in 2007, saw Samuel Wanjiru breaking the world record, but Wanjiru himself set a new world record only a month later in another race... |
UAE | Half marathon | 1st (WR) |
| London Marathon | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , UK |
Marathon | 1st (PB) |
Personal bests
| Distance | Time | Date | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5000 m | 16:29.4 | June 29, 2006 | Nairobi Nairobi Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is... , Kenya |
| 10,000 m | 32:18.07 | May 17, 2007 | Utrecht Utrecht (city) Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features... , Netherlands |
| 10 km | 30:45+ | February, 18, 2011 | Ras Al Khaimah, UAE |
| 15 km | 46:50+ | February 18, 2011 | Ras Al Khaimah, UAE |
| 20 km | 1:02:36+ | February 18, 2011 | Ras Al Khaimah, UAE |
| Half marathon Half marathon A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a... |
1:05:50 | February 18, 2011 | Ras Al Khaimah, UAE |
| 25 km | 1:19:53 | May 9, 2010 | Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... , Germany |
| 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... |
2:19:19 | April 17, 2011 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , UK |
External links
- Focus on Athletes article from IAAF