Pauline Korikwiang
Encyclopedia
Pauline Chemning Korikwiang (born 1 March 1988) is a Kenya
n long-distance runner who competes in track
and cross country running
competitions.
She rose in the youth ranks in 2005, taking a 3000 metres
silver medal
at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Athletics
and took the world junior cross country title at the 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
. After winning medals on the track at World and African junior level, she has represented Kenya at the senior level in both cross country and the 10,000 metres at the African Championships in Athletics
.
from another local resident Tegla Loroupe
, who broke world records in the half marathon
. She began competed at the national junior level in 2003 and gained selection for the African Junior Athletics Championships
that year, where she came fifth in the 5000 metres
. A runner-up performance behind Veronica Nyaruai
at the national junior cross country championships two years later led to her first world appearance, where she was seventh in the junior race at the 2005 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
.
At the 2005 World Youth Championships in Athletics
she was again outdone by Nyaruai, but defeated the rest of the field to win the silver medal
over 3000 metres
. The 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
saw Korikwiang defeat her rival to claim her first world junior title. There was a reversal of the positions at that year's 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics
, where Korikwiang was the 5000 metres
silver medallist behind her rival. She was named as the most promising sportswoman at the end-of-year SOYA Awards.
The following year she won the Kenyan junior cross title and assumed the lead in the global event at the 2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
in Mombasa
. However, an error with the final lap bell meant Korikwiang mistakenly treated the second to last lap as the ultimate one. Her premature efforts destroyed her chance at the title as she let others pass in the belief the race had ended and, after realising her mistake, she eventually dropped out having fainted mid-race in Mombasa's torrid conditions. In her final international junior competition she won the 5000 m bronze medal
at the 2007 African Junior Athletics Championships.
In her first year as a senior, she won at the top-class Cinque Mulini
cross country meeting in Italy. A fifth place finish at the Kenyan trials earned her a spot for the senior world team, but she was dismissed from the team after coaches stated that she had not maintained her fitness in the build up to the event. She failed to make the track team for the 2008 Summer Olympics
later that summer. In 2009, a strong run of form on the Athletics Kenya Cross Country Series led to her being given a wild card
entry into the senior race for the 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
. She came eleventh in the race, but was only the sixth best Kenyan at the event.
Korikwiang missed out on both the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
and the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
and decided to switch to a new event, the 10,000 metres, instead. The move paid off as she took second place to Meselech Melkamu
in her debut at the Golden Spike Ostrava
, setting a personal best of 31:06.29 minutes. A runner-up performance behind reigning world champion Linet Masai
at the Kenyan championships led to an appearance at the 2010 African Championships in Athletics
(where she was sixth in the event). She was selected for the national team at the International Chiba Ekiden
in November, but despite gaining the lead on the anchor leg
, she relinquished her position and Japan's collegiate team beat the Kenyans to the title.
Her focus returned to cross country in 2011, as she won at the Cross Zornotza
, came third at the Cross Internacional de Itálica
, and then gained selection at the national championships. She came seventh at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
and was part of the winning Kenyan women's team. She travelled to the United States the following month and was edged into second at the Carlsbad 5000
by Aheza Kiros
.
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 runner who competes in track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
and cross country running
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...
competitions.
She rose in the youth ranks in 2005, taking a 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...
silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Athletics
IAAF World Youth Championships in Athletics
The IAAF World Youth Championships in Athletics is a global athletics event comprising track and field events for competitors who are 17 or younger . The event is organized by International Association of Athletics Federations . It is held biannually...
and took the world junior cross country title at the 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 34th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 1-2 April 2006 in Fukuoka, Japan.The event was once again dominated by Ethiopian and Kenyan runners and also Eritrean runners...
. After winning medals on the track at World and African junior level, she has represented Kenya at the senior level in both cross country and the 10,000 metres at the African Championships in Athletics
African Championships in Athletics
The African Championships in Athletics is a continental athletics event organized by the Confederation of African Athletics. It is generally organised biennually, every other event is held same year as the Summer Olympics....
.
Career
Korikwiang was born in Kaptabuk Village and drew inspiration to become a runnerRunning
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...
from another local resident Tegla Loroupe
Tegla Loroupe
Tegla Chepkite Loroupe is a long-distance track and road runner, and a global spokeswoman for peace, women's rights, and education....
, who broke world records 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...
. She began competed at the national junior level in 2003 and gained selection for the African Junior Athletics Championships
African Junior Athletics Championships
The African Junior Athletics Championships is a biennial continental athletics event organized by the Confederation of African Athletics. First held in 1994, only athletes aged 19 or under are allowed to compete.- Summary of Championships :...
that year, where she came fifth in the 5000 metres
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
. A runner-up performance behind Veronica Nyaruai
Veronica Nyaruai
Veronica Nyaruai Wanjiru is a Kenyan runner who specialises in 1500 metres. She now lives in Kaptagat, where she attends PACE training camp....
at the national junior cross country championships two years later led to her first world appearance, where she was seventh in the junior race at the 2005 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2005 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 33rd IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 19-20 March 2005 in Saint-Étienne and Saint-Galmier , France.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :...
.
At the 2005 World Youth Championships in Athletics
2005 World Youth Championships in Athletics
The 2005 World Youth Championships in Athletics is the 2005 version of the World Youth Championships in Athletics. It was held in Marrakesh, Morocco.The host stadium was Stade Sidi Youssef Ben Ali.-Boys:-Girls:-Medals table:...
she was again outdone by Nyaruai, but defeated the rest of the field to win the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
over 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...
. The 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 34th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 1-2 April 2006 in Fukuoka, Japan.The event was once again dominated by Ethiopian and Kenyan runners and also Eritrean runners...
saw Korikwiang defeat her rival to claim her first world junior title. There was a reversal of the positions at that year's 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics
2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2006 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held from 15 August to 20 August at the Chaoyang Sports Center in Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China....
, where Korikwiang was the 5000 metres
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
silver medallist behind her rival. She was named as the most promising sportswoman at the end-of-year SOYA Awards.
The following year she won the Kenyan junior cross title and assumed the lead in the global event at the 2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in Mombasa, Kenya on 24 March, 2007. Four races took place, one for men, women, junior men and junior women respectively. All races encompassed both individual and team competition...
in Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
. However, an error with the final lap bell meant Korikwiang mistakenly treated the second to last lap as the ultimate one. Her premature efforts destroyed her chance at the title as she let others pass in the belief the race had ended and, after realising her mistake, she eventually dropped out having fainted mid-race in Mombasa's torrid conditions. In her final international junior competition she won the 5000 m bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
at the 2007 African Junior Athletics Championships.
In her first year as a senior, she won at the top-class Cinque Mulini
Cinque Mulini
The Cinque Mulini is an annual cross country running race in San Vittore Olona, Italy. First held in 1933, the course is unusual in that it revolves around a number of water mills, which lend the competition its name – meaning Five Mills in Italian. It is one of the IAAF cross country permit...
cross country meeting in Italy. A fifth place finish at the Kenyan trials earned her a spot for the senior world team, but she was dismissed from the team after coaches stated that she had not maintained her fitness in the build up to the event. She failed to make the track team for the 2008 Summer 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...
later that summer. In 2009, a strong run of form on the Athletics Kenya Cross Country Series led to her being given a wild card
Wild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
entry into the senior race for the 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 37th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in the Al Bisharat Golf Course at Amman, Jordan on 28 March 2009. Four races took place, one for men, women, junior men and junior women respectively. All races encompassed both individual and team competition...
. She came eleventh in the race, but was only the sixth best Kenyan at the event.
Korikwiang missed out on both the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
and the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held at Myślęcinek Park in Bydgoszcz, Poland on 28 March 2010. It was the first time in over twenty years that Poland hosted the annual championships, having previously held them in Warsaw in 1987. Kenyan runners dominated the competition, taking...
and decided to switch to a new event, the 10,000 metres, instead. The move paid off as she took second place to Meselech Melkamu
Meselech Melkamu
Meselech Melkamu is an Ethiopian long-distance runner, who specializes in the 5000 metres, 10,000 metres and cross-country events...
in her debut at the Golden Spike Ostrava
Golden Spike Ostrava
Golden Spike is an annual athletics event at the Městský Stadion in Ostrava-Vítkovice, Czech Republic as part of the IAAF World Challenge Meetings. It was first organized in 1961.-History:...
, setting a personal best of 31:06.29 minutes. A runner-up performance behind reigning world champion Linet Masai
Linet Masai
Linet Chepkwemoi Masai is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in track and cross country running events...
at the Kenyan championships led to an appearance at the 2010 African Championships in Athletics
2010 African Championships in Athletics
The 2010 African Championships in Athletics was held in Nairobi, Kenya from 28 July to 1 August 2010.-Background:The African Championships in Athletics were held in Kenya for the first time...
(where she was sixth in the event). She was selected for the national team at the International Chiba Ekiden
International Chiba Ekiden
The International Chiba Ekiden is an annual team road running competition held in Chiba, Japan in late November. The marathon relay race, or ekiden as it is known in Japan, is one of the prominent annual races of its kind. The competition is split into six legs which combine to make up the marathon...
in November, but despite gaining the lead on the anchor leg
Anchor leg
Anchor leg refers to the final position in a relay race. The term is commonly used with respect to relays in athletics. Typically, the anchor leg of a relay is given to the fastest or most experienced competitor on a team...
, she relinquished her position and Japan's collegiate team beat the Kenyans to the title.
Her focus returned to cross country in 2011, as she won at the Cross Zornotza
Cross Zornotza
The Cross Internacional Zornotza is an annual cross country running event which takes place in January in Amorebieta-Etxano , the Basque Country, Spain. The competition was first held in 1954 and has taken place every year since, with the sole exception of 1961...
, came third at the Cross Internacional de Itálica
Cross Internacional de Itálica
The Cross Internacional de Itálica is an annual cross country running competition that is held every January in Santiponce, near Seville, Spain. Inaugurated in 1982, the race course is set in the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Itálica...
, and then gained selection at the national championships. She came seventh at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in Punta Umbría, Spain on 20 March 2011.-Preparation:The United States had expressed an interest in hosting the competition, but Punta Umbria was chosen as the host at the IAAF Council Meeting in November 2009...
and was part of the winning Kenyan women's team. She travelled to the United States the following month and was edged into second at the Carlsbad 5000
Carlsbad 5000
The Carlsbad 5000 is an annual road running event over which is typically held in April in Carlsbad, California, United States.The event was first held in 1986 and is organized by the Competitor Group...
by Aheza Kiros
Aheza Kiros
Aheza Kiros is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who specializes in the 10,000 metres.She finished fourth at the 2006 African Championships and seventeenth at the 2007 World Championships. Running at the 2009 Adidas Track Classic, she beat Ejegayehu Dibaba in the 5000 metres in her first career...
.
Competition record
| 2003 | African Junior Championships | Garoua Garoua Garoua is the capital of the North Province of Cameroon, lying on the Benue River. The city had 235,996 inhabitants at the 2005 Census, and is an important river port.- Overview :... , Cameroon |
5th | 5000 m |
| 2005 | World Cross Country Championships 2005 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 33rd IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 19-20 March 2005 in Saint-Étienne and Saint-Galmier , France.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :... |
Saint-Galmier Saint-Galmier Saint-Galmier is a commune in the Loire department in central France.Its residents are called Baldomériens.-Water:Saint Galmier is a spa town and the source of Badoit mineral water... , France |
7th | Junior race |
| 1st | Junior team | |||
| World Youth Championships 2005 World Youth Championships in Athletics The 2005 World Youth Championships in Athletics is the 2005 version of the World Youth Championships in Athletics. It was held in Marrakesh, Morocco.The host stadium was Stade Sidi Youssef Ben Ali.-Boys:-Girls:-Medals table:... |
Marrakech Marrakech Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history... , Morocco |
2nd | 3000 m | |
| 2006 | World Cross Country Championships 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 34th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 1-2 April 2006 in Fukuoka, Japan.The event was once again dominated by Ethiopian and Kenyan runners and also Eritrean runners... |
Fukuoka Fukuoka Fukuoka most often refers to the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture.It can also refer to:-Locations:* Fukuoka, Gifu, a town in Gifu Prefecture, Japan* Fukuoka, Toyama, a town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan... , Japan |
1st | Junior race |
| 1st | Junior team | |||
| World Junior Championships 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics The 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2006 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held from 15 August to 20 August at the Chaoyang Sports Center in Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China.... |
Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China |
2nd | 5000 m | |
| 2007 | World Cross Country Championships 2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in Mombasa, Kenya on 24 March, 2007. Four races took place, one for men, women, junior men and junior women respectively. All races encompassed both individual and team competition... |
Mombasa Mombasa Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry.... , Kenya |
DNF | Junior race |
| African Junior Championships | Ouagadougou Ouagadougou Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic center of the nation. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of 1,475,223 . The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga. The inhabitants are called ouagalais... , Burkina Faso |
3rd | 5000 m | |
| 2009 | World Cross Country Championships 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 37th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in the Al Bisharat Golf Course at Amman, Jordan on 28 March 2009. Four races took place, one for men, women, junior men and junior women respectively. All races encompassed both individual and team competition... |
Amman Amman Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost... , Jordan |
11th | Senior race |
| 2010 | African Championships 2010 African Championships in Athletics The 2010 African Championships in Athletics was held in Nairobi, Kenya from 28 July to 1 August 2010.-Background:The African Championships in Athletics were held in Kenya for the first time... |
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 |
5th | 10,000 m |
| 2011 | All-Africa Games Athletics at the 2011 All-Africa Games The athletics competition at the 2011 All-Africa Games was held from 11–15 September 2011 at the Estádio do Zimpeto in Maputo, Mozambique.-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:-Elite competition:-Para-sport competition:-Games statistics:... |
Maputo Maputo Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its... , Mozambique Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest... |
3rd | 5000 m Athletics at the 2011 All-Africa Games – Women's 5000 metres The Women's 5000 metres at the 2011 All-Africa Games took place on 11 september at the Beijing National Stadium.-Medalists:- Records :Prior to this competition, the existing World, African record and World leading were as follows:-Final:... |
| 3rd | 10,000 m Athletics at the 2011 All-Africa Games – Women's 10,000 metres The women's 10,000 metres event at the Athletics at the 2011 All-Africa Games was held on 14 September.-Results:-References:**... |
Personal bests
- 3000 metres - 8:41.11 min (2010)
- 5000 metres - 14:45.98 (2006)
- 10,000 metres - 31:06.29 (2010)