Paul Tergat
Encyclopedia
Paul Kibii Tergat (born June 17, 1969) is a Kenya
n professional long distance runner. He held the world record in the marathon
from 2003 to 2007, with a time of 2:04:55, and is regarded as one of the most accomplished long-distance runners of all time.
Now concentrating exclusively on the marathon, Tergat won many titles and set several world records on the track, in cross country
, and on the road. Nicknamed the "Gentleman," Tergat is extremely hard-working and self-motivated. He lives and trains in Ngong
, near Nairobi
.
, Baringo District
, in Kenya's Rift Valley Province. He attended Riwo Primary school and later joined Kapkawa Boys High School. Unlike many athletes, Tergat realized his talent after graduating high school.
titles, 1995
to 1999
, which was a record. Says Tergat, "Cross country is what I always liked most. It was my world, my passion. Before the IAAF introduced the short course in 1998
, all the world class athletes from 1500 m to the marathon were in the same race."
He won the Lisbon Half Marathon
2000 setting a new course record and personal best of 59.06, both still current in 2008. He won the race again in 2005. Tergat's achievements also include 5 victories in the traditional Saint Silvester Road Race, the most important event in Latin American street racing
. He holds the record for the present 15 km distance, which he established in 1995. His performances in the Saint Silvester race have earned him celebrity status in Brazil
.
He has had an intense rivalry with his friend Haile Gebrselassie
of Ethiopia. In the Olympic Games 10,000m finals of both 1996 Atlanta Olympics
and 2000 Sydney Olympics
, he was defeated by Gebrselassie by slim margins. In 2000, the margin of victory was only nine hundredths of a second.
Tergat finished second to Gebrselassie in the 1997
and 1999 World Championships in Athletics
at 10,000 m, and finished third in the 1995
version of that race, behind Gebrselassie and Moroccan Khalid Skah
.
On the track, Tergat broke Gebrselassie's 10,000 meter world record on August 22, 1997 in Brussels
with a time 26:27.85 minutes. The record was broken again by Gebrselassie in 1998 (time 26:22.75), but Tergat's time remains a Kenyan record (as of 2009). On the road, Tergat broke the half marathon
world record on April 4, 1998 in Milan
by running in 59:17 minutes. (Tergat had run 58:51 minutes at the Stramilano half marathon in 1996, but a misplaced cone made the course slightly too short and no record was allowed.) The previous record, 59:47 minutes was set by Moses Tanui
in 1993. Tergat's world record was broken in 2005 by Samuel Wanjiru
, another Kenyan.
When Tergat raced Gebrselassie in the London Marathon
in 2002, it was Tergat who beat Gebrselassie; Tergat was in second place behind then world record holder Khalid Khannouchi
. The three runners raced again in the 2007 version with Tergat being the only one of them to finish.
Tergat finished second in his first three marathons: London Marathon
in 2001 and 2002 and Chicago Marathon
in 2001. He continued marathoning by two fourth places: Chicago 2002 and London 2003.
He set the marathon world record
of 2:04:55, on September 28, 2003 at the Berlin Marathon
. That is an average pace of 0:02:57 per kilometer (20.3 km/h) or 0:04:46 per mile (12.6 MPH). In his world record race, Tergat badly abraded his foot. He later said it felt like the sole of his shoe fell off. He also took a momentary wrong turn near the finish. Tergat's countryman Sammy Korir
, who was a pacesetter for the race, nearly caught up to him. Korir took second place in 2:04:56, then the second-fastest marathon performance in history. Tergat's world record was broken in 2007 by Haile Gebrselassie
of Ethiopia. Tergat's time remained the Kenyan record until 2009, when winner Duncan Kibet
and 2nd placed James Kwambai
both timed 2:04:27 at the Rotterdam Marathon
Tergat won the New York City Marathon
November 6, 2005, in a thrilling sprint finish through New York's Central Park, prevailing over defending champion Hendrick Ramaala 2:09:29.90 to 2:09:30.22.
In the 2004 Athens Olympic marathon, Tergat missed his water point and drank water supplied by organizers. He is accustomed to drinking water at room temperature; the organizers supplied cold water, which gave Tergat cramps. He finished 10th.
That year, Tergat inaugurated the Baringo Half Marathon
, setting up the professional race on a course near his home town.
A week prior to the London Marathon on April 23, 2006, Tergat pulled a calf muscle. Calling the injury "cruel," he was forced to withdraw from the star-studded race, which would have featured a long-awaited showdown with Haile Gebrselassie. The race was won by Felix Limo
of Kenya.
Marílson Gomes dos Santos
won the 2006 New York City Marathon
; Tergat finished third. Gomes made a move at mile 19 and Tergat did not respond, saying "I'll be honest, I didn't know exactly who he was." Tergat steadily closed the gap over the final five miles.
Tergat finished sixth (2:08:06) at the 2007 London Marathon
in April 2007. The entry list was competitive, including Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie
, who dropped out just past the 30-K mark. Kenya's Martin Lel
won the race in a time of 2:07.42, after a dramatic, gutsy finish.
On September 30, 2007 Ethiopian long distance runner Haile Gebrselassie
broke Tergat's record marathon time of 2:04.55, finishing the Berlin Marathon in 2:04:26. Moments after finishing the race, Gebrselassie apologized to his friend Tergat for breaking the record, during a congratulatory phone call. Gebrselassie later explained "I am sorry – this record belonged to Paul Tergat," Gebrselassie told a news conference when asked about the phone call. "Paul is my friend."
He expressed a desire to compete in 2008 Olympics
, but was not selected to represent Kenya. He finished 4th in the New York Marathon later that year.
In 2009, he won the Lake Biwa Marathon
in Japan, timing 2:10:22. In October 2009, he was the guest of honour at the relaunch of the Belgrade Race Through History
. Although he never won the competition in the late 1990s, he was the only competitor to run in all of the first four editions and never finished outside of the top three. He stated his desire to close his career at the race and praised the way it promoted Serbia
's cultural heritage.
He was named by New York Road Runners
as the recipient of the 2010 Abebe Bikila Award
in recognition of his long-distance achievements, becoming the first Kenyan male winner. In his acceptance he said "The history of marathon running is incomplete without the solid and indelible mark of the late Abebe Bikila's contribution, and I am so proud to be associated [with this]".
"a" indicates course slightly downhill
(WFP) "Ambassador Against Hunger". When he was a child, Paul Tergat's family was too poor to send him to school with food. According to Tergat, he would not have gotten a full education were it not for the World Food Program, which provided lunch at his school.
Tergat set up the Paul Tergat Foundation in 2005. It is meant to help disadvantaged Kenyan sportspeople. He runs a Sports Marketing and PR company known as Fine Touch Communications (organises the annual Sportsman Of the Year Awards
in Kenya in conjunction with Safaricom
, a leading mobile telephony provider in Kenya. He's also considering launching a clothing line under the name "Tergat" in the coming months.
Like many other Kenyan athletes, Tergat is enlisted to Armed Forces
. He is based at the Moi Air Base
in Nairobi.
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 professional long distance runner. He held the world record 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...
from 2003 to 2007, with a time of 2:04:55, and is regarded as one of the most accomplished long-distance runners of all time.
Now concentrating exclusively on the marathon, Tergat won many titles and set several world records on the track, in cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, and on the road. Nicknamed the "Gentleman," Tergat is extremely hard-working and self-motivated. He lives and trains in Ngong
Ngong, Kenya
Ngong is a town near the Ngong Hills along the Great Rift Valley, located in the southwest of Nairobi, in southern Kenya. The word "Ngong" is a Maasai word meaning "knuckles"...
, near 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...
.
Early life
Paul Tergat was born on June 17, 1969 in RiwoRiwo, Kenya
Riwo is a village near Kabarnet in the Baringo District, Rift Valley Province, Kenya. It is part of Kabarnet municipality.It is the birthplace of famous Kenyan runner Paul Tergat. The local primary school is supported by the World Food Programme....
, Baringo District
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 ....
, in Kenya's Rift Valley Province. He attended Riwo Primary school and later joined Kapkawa Boys High School. Unlike many athletes, Tergat realized his talent after graduating high school.
Career
Tergat won five straight IAAF World Cross Country ChampionshipsIAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Held annually and organised by International Association of Athletics Federations , it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the International Cross Country Championships...
titles, 1995
1995 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 23rd IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on 25 March 1995 in Durham, England.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**...
to 1999
1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 27th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 27-28 March 1999 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :...
, which was a record. Says Tergat, "Cross country is what I always liked most. It was my world, my passion. Before the IAAF introduced the short course in 1998
1998 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 26th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 21-22 March 1998 in Marrakech, Morocco.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :...
, all the world class athletes from 1500 m to the marathon were in the same race."
He won the Lisbon Half Marathon
Lisbon Half Marathon
First held in 1991, the race has consistently delivered fast winning times. However, many of these times have been unratifiable for record purposes due to factors including: the course being too short , excessive tailwinds, as well as there being an excessive drop in altitude, which boosted...
2000 setting a new course record and personal best of 59.06, both still current in 2008. He won the race again in 2005. Tergat's achievements also include 5 victories in the traditional Saint Silvester Road Race, the most important event in Latin American street racing
Road 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...
. He holds the record for the present 15 km distance, which he established in 1995. His performances in the Saint Silvester race have earned him celebrity status in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
He has had an intense rivalry with his friend Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie is an Ethiopian long-distance track and road running athlete. He won two Olympic gold medals over 10,000 metres and four World Championship titles in the event. He won the Berlin Marathon four times consecutively and also had three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon...
of Ethiopia. In the Olympic Games 10,000m finals of both 1996 Atlanta Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
and 2000 Sydney Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, he was defeated by Gebrselassie by slim margins. In 2000, the margin of victory was only nine hundredths of a second.
Tergat finished second to Gebrselassie in the 1997
1997 World Championships in Athletics
The 6th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece between August 1 and August 10, 1997. In this event participated 1882 athletes from 198 participant nations...
and 1999 World Championships in Athletics
1999 World Championships in Athletics
The 7th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Estadio Olímpico, Seville, Spain, between the August 20 and August 29....
at 10,000 m, and finished third in the 1995
1995 World Championships in Athletics
The 5th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, Sweden between August 5 and August 13.This edition featured 1804 athletes from 191 nations....
version of that race, behind Gebrselassie and Moroccan Khalid Skah
Khalid Skah
Khalid Skah is a Moroccan athlete, winner of 10 000 m at the 1992 Summer Olympics.Born in Midelt, Morocco, Khalid Skah established himself first as a good cross country runner by winning the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 1990 and 1991.His first major tournament on track was 1991 World...
.
On the track, Tergat broke Gebrselassie's 10,000 meter world record on August 22, 1997 in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
with a time 26:27.85 minutes. The record was broken again by Gebrselassie in 1998 (time 26:22.75), but Tergat's time remains a Kenyan record (as of 2009). On the road, Tergat broke 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...
world record on April 4, 1998 in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
by running in 59:17 minutes. (Tergat had run 58:51 minutes at the Stramilano half marathon in 1996, but a misplaced cone made the course slightly too short and no record was allowed.) The previous record, 59:47 minutes was set by Moses Tanui
Moses Tanui
Moses Tanui is a former Kenyan long-distance runner who won the gold medal over 10000 m at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics in Tokyo....
in 1993. Tergat's world record was broken in 2005 by Samuel Wanjiru
Samuel Wanjiru
Samuel Kamau Wanjiru was a Kenyan athlete, who specialized in long distance running. He became a professional at a young age and broke the world record in the half marathon when he was 18 years old...
, another Kenyan.
When Tergat raced Gebrselassie in the London Marathon
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
in 2002, it was Tergat who beat Gebrselassie; Tergat was in second place behind then world record holder Khalid Khannouchi
Khalid Khannouchi
Khalid Khannouchi is a Moroccan American marathoner. He was born in Meknes, Morocco. He is the former world record holder for the marathon and held the former road world best for the 20 km distance. He is one of only five men to break the marathon world record more than once, and one of only four...
. The three runners raced again in the 2007 version with Tergat being the only one of them to finish.
Marathon career
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
in 2001 and 2002 and Chicago Marathon
Chicago Marathon
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race...
in 2001. He continued marathoning by two fourth places: Chicago 2002 and London 2003.
He set the marathon world record
World records in athletics
World records in the sport of athletics are ratified by the International Association of Athletics Federations. Athletics records comprise the best performances in the sports of track and field, road running and racewalking....
of 2:04:55, on September 28, 2003 at the 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...
. That is an average pace of 0:02:57 per kilometer (20.3 km/h) or 0:04:46 per mile (12.6 MPH). In his world record race, Tergat badly abraded his foot. He later said it felt like the sole of his shoe fell off. He also took a momentary wrong turn near the finish. Tergat's countryman Sammy Korir
Sammy Korir
Sammy Korir is a long distance runner from Kenya.In 2008 Korir became the first man to run ten marathons faster than the time of 2:09 hours, by finishing third in Dubai Marathon with a time of 2:08:34. The race was won by Haile Gebrselassie, who narrowly failed to break the world record held by...
, who was a pacesetter for the race, nearly caught up to him. Korir took second place in 2:04:56, then the second-fastest marathon performance in history. Tergat's world record was broken in 2007 by Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie is an Ethiopian long-distance track and road running athlete. He won two Olympic gold medals over 10,000 metres and four World Championship titles in the event. He won the Berlin Marathon four times consecutively and also had three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon...
of Ethiopia. Tergat's time remained the Kenyan record until 2009, when winner Duncan Kibet
Duncan Kibet
Duncan Kibet is a runner from Kenya. He became the second fastest marathoner ever with a time of 2:04:27 hours, when he won the 2009 Rotterdam Marathon.- Career :Kibet dropped out of school in 1997 due to financial problems...
and 2nd placed James Kwambai
James Kwambai
James Kipsang Kwambai is a runner from Kenya, who specialises in marathons.Kwambai went to the Kondabilet Primary School in Marakwet East District, but dropped out at standard seven....
both timed 2:04:27 at 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...
Tergat won 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...
November 6, 2005, in a thrilling sprint finish through New York's Central Park, prevailing over defending champion Hendrick Ramaala 2:09:29.90 to 2:09:30.22.
In the 2004 Athens Olympic marathon, Tergat missed his water point and drank water supplied by organizers. He is accustomed to drinking water at room temperature; the organizers supplied cold water, which gave Tergat cramps. He finished 10th.
That year, Tergat inaugurated the Baringo Half Marathon
Baringo Half Marathon
The Baringo Half Marathon is an annual road running competition for men and women over the half marathon distance which takes place every December in Baringo, Kenya...
, setting up the professional race on a course near his home town.
A week prior to the London Marathon on April 23, 2006, Tergat pulled a calf muscle. Calling the injury "cruel," he was forced to withdraw from the star-studded race, which would have featured a long-awaited showdown with Haile Gebrselassie. The race was won by Felix Limo
Felix Limo
Felix Limo is a Kenyan long-distance runner, who specializes in the marathon.Limo held the 15 Kilometres road running world record from November 2001 to November 2010, where he lost the record to Leonard Komon. Limo set his record of 41:29 minutes in Nijmegen, the Netherlands when winning the...
of Kenya.
Marílson Gomes dos Santos
Marílson Gomes dos Santos
Marílson Gomes dos Santos is a Brazilian long-distance runner and winner of the 2006 and 2008 New York City Marathon, with times of 2:09:58 and 2:08:43, respectively...
won the 2006 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...
; Tergat finished third. Gomes made a move at mile 19 and Tergat did not respond, saying "I'll be honest, I didn't know exactly who he was." Tergat steadily closed the gap over the final five miles.
Tergat finished sixth (2:08:06) at the 2007 London Marathon
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
in April 2007. The entry list was competitive, including Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie is an Ethiopian long-distance track and road running athlete. He won two Olympic gold medals over 10,000 metres and four World Championship titles in the event. He won the Berlin Marathon four times consecutively and also had three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon...
, who dropped out just past the 30-K mark. Kenya's Martin Lel
Martin Lel
Martin Kiptolo Lel is a Kenyan long distance and marathon runner. He won the London Marathon in 2005, 2007, and 2008, the New York City Marathon in 2003 and 2007 and the Great North Run in 2007 and 2009. His personal best time, , is 2:05:15, which he ran in the 2008 London Marathon setting a...
won the race in a time of 2:07.42, after a dramatic, gutsy finish.
On September 30, 2007 Ethiopian long distance runner Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie is an Ethiopian long-distance track and road running athlete. He won two Olympic gold medals over 10,000 metres and four World Championship titles in the event. He won the Berlin Marathon four times consecutively and also had three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon...
broke Tergat's record marathon time of 2:04.55, finishing the Berlin Marathon in 2:04:26. Moments after finishing the race, Gebrselassie apologized to his friend Tergat for breaking the record, during a congratulatory phone call. Gebrselassie later explained "I am sorry – this record belonged to Paul Tergat," Gebrselassie told a news conference when asked about the phone call. "Paul is my friend."
He expressed a desire to compete in 2008 Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, but was not selected to represent Kenya. He finished 4th in the New York Marathon later that year.
In 2009, he won the Lake Biwa Marathon
Lake Biwa Marathon
The held in Otsu, Shiga, is one of the prominent Japanese marathon races of the year. It is a male only competition and has IAAF Gold Label status. First held in 1946 and having taken place every year since then, it is Japan's oldest annual marathon race...
in Japan, timing 2:10:22. In October 2009, he was the guest of honour at the relaunch of the Belgrade Race Through History
Belgrade Race Through History
The Belgrade Race Through History is an annual men's footrace of around 6 kilometres that is held in Belgrade, Serbia. The course of the race traces a path through the capital's ancient fortress; the Kalemegdan. The purpose of the race is to emphasise the history and culture of the city...
. Although he never won the competition in the late 1990s, he was the only competitor to run in all of the first four editions and never finished outside of the top three. He stated his desire to close his career at the race and praised the way it promoted Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
's cultural heritage.
He was named by New York Road Runners
New York Road Runners
New York Road Runners , founded in 1958 with 47 members, has grown into the foremost running organization, with a membership of 40,000. NYRR conducts more than 100 events each year, including races, classes, clinics, and lectures...
as the recipient of the 2010 Abebe Bikila Award
Abebe Bikila Award
The Abebe Bikila Award is an annual prize given by the New York Road Runners club to honour individuals who have made a significant contribution to the sport of long-distance running. The first recipient of the award was Ted Corbitt, a founder of both NYRR and the Road Runners Club of America, who...
in recognition of his long-distance achievements, becoming the first Kenyan male winner. In his acceptance he said "The history of marathon running is incomplete without the solid and indelible mark of the late Abebe Bikila's contribution, and I am so proud to be associated [with this]".
Honors
- 1995
- Gold medal, 1995 IAAF World Cross Country Championships1995 IAAF World Cross Country ChampionshipsThe 23rd IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on 25 March 1995 in Durham, England.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**...
- Bronze medal, 1995 World Championships in Athletics1995 World Championships in AthleticsThe 5th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, Sweden between August 5 and August 13.This edition featured 1804 athletes from 191 nations....
10,000 m
- Gold medal, 1995 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
- 1996
- Silver medal, 1996 Summer Olympics1996 Summer OlympicsThe 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
10,000 m - Gold medal, 1996 IAAF World Cross Country Championships1996 IAAF World Cross Country ChampionshipsThe 24th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on 23 March 1996 in Stellenbosch, South Africa.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :...
- Silver medal, 1996 Summer Olympics
- 1997
- Gold medal, 1997 IAAF World Cross Country Championships1997 IAAF World Cross Country ChampionshipsThe 25th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on 23 March 1997 in Turin, Italy.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**...
- Silver medal, 1997 World Championships in Athletics1997 World Championships in AthleticsThe 6th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece between August 1 and August 10, 1997. In this event participated 1882 athletes from 198 participant nations...
10,000 m
- Gold medal, 1997 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
- 1998
- Gold medal, 1998 IAAF World Cross Country Championships1998 IAAF World Cross Country ChampionshipsThe 26th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 21-22 March 1998 in Marrakech, Morocco.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :...
- Gold medal, IAAF World Half Marathon ChampionshipsIAAF World Half Marathon ChampionshipsThe 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...
- Gold medal, 1998 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
- 1999
- Gold medal, 1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships1999 IAAF World Cross Country ChampionshipsThe 27th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 27-28 March 1999 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :...
- Silver medal, 1999 World Championships in Athletics1999 World Championships in AthleticsThe 7th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Estadio Olímpico, Seville, Spain, between the August 20 and August 29....
10,000 m - Gold medal, IAAF World Half Marathon ChampionshipsIAAF World Half Marathon ChampionshipsThe 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...
- Gold medal, 1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
- 2000
- Bronze medal, 2000 IAAF World Cross Country Championships2000 IAAF World Cross Country ChampionshipsThe 28th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 18-19 March 2000 in Vilamoura, Portugal.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :...
- Silver medal, 2000 Summer Olympics2000 Summer OlympicsThe Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
10,000 m - Gold medal, IAAF World Half Marathon ChampionshipsIAAF World Half Marathon ChampionshipsThe 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...
- Bronze medal, 2000 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
- 2004
- 10th, 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer OlympicsThe 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
Marathon
- 10th, 2004 Summer Olympics
Personal bests
"+" indicates mark set en route during a longer race"a" indicates course slightly downhill
| Distance | Mark | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,000 m | 7:28.70 | 1996-08-10 | Monaco Monaco Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the... |
| 5,000 m | 12:49.87 | 1997-08-13 | Zürich Zürich Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich... |
| 10,000 m | 26:27.85 | 1997-08-22 | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... |
| 10 km (road) | 27:45+ | 2006-03-26 | Lisbon Lisbon Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban... |
| 15 km (road) | 42:04+ | 1998-04-04 | Milan Milan Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,... |
| Ten miles (road) | 45:12+ | 1998-04-04 | Milan Milan Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,... |
| 20 km (road) | 56:18+ | 1998-04-04 | Milan Milan Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,... |
| Half marathon | 59:06a | 2000-03-26 | Lisbon Lisbon Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban... |
| 30 km (road) | 1:29:00+ | 2002-04-14 | London |
| Marathon | 2:04:55 | 2003-09-28 | Berlin |
Other activities
In January 2004 Tergat was named a UN World Food ProgrammeWorld Food Programme
The World Food Programme is the food aid branch of the United Nations, and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger worldwide. WFP provides food, on average, to 90 million people per year, 58 million of whom are children...
(WFP) "Ambassador Against Hunger". When he was a child, Paul Tergat's family was too poor to send him to school with food. According to Tergat, he would not have gotten a full education were it not for the World Food Program, which provided lunch at his school.
Tergat set up the Paul Tergat Foundation in 2005. It is meant to help disadvantaged Kenyan sportspeople. He runs a Sports Marketing and PR company known as Fine Touch Communications (organises the annual Sportsman Of the Year Awards
Kenyan Sports Personality of the Year
Kenyan Sport Personality of the Year Awards, also known as SOYA Awards, are annual national awards given for sports personalities and organisations in Kenya. The awards were initiated in 2004 by Paul Tergat. The awards for each year are held at the beginning of the next year Kenyan Sport...
in Kenya in conjunction with Safaricom
Safaricom
Safaricom, Ltd is a leading mobile network operator in Kenya. It was formed in 1997 as a fully owned subsidiary of Telkom Kenya. In May 2000, Vodafone group Plc of the United Kingdom, the world's largest telecommunication company, acquired a 40% stake and management responsibility for the...
, a leading mobile telephony provider in Kenya. He's also considering launching a clothing line under the name "Tergat" in the coming months.
Like many other Kenyan athletes, Tergat is enlisted to Armed Forces
Military of Kenya
The Kenya Defence Forces are the armed forces of the Republic of Kenya. The Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, and Kenya Air Force comprise the national Defence Forces. The current Kenya Defence Forces were established, and its composition laid out, in Article 241 of the 2010 Constitution of Kenya...
. He is based at the Moi Air Base
Moi Air Base
Moi Air Base, formerly known as RAF Eastleigh and Eastleigh Airport is a military airport located to the east of Nairobi, in the Eastleigh suburb. The airport is used by the Kenya Air Force...
in Nairobi.
External links
- http://www.paul-tergat.net/ The first website dedicated to Paul Tergat
- Marathoninfo profile
- Rosa & Associati profile
- Paul Tergat Versus Haile Gebrselassie – www.paul-tergat.net