Samuel Wanjiru
Encyclopedia
Samuel Kamau Wanjiru was a Kenya
n 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. In 2007, he broke the 20 kilometres (12 mi) road running
record and improved the half marathon record by over twenty seconds.
He moved to the full marathon
and won the event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
in an Olympic record time of 2:06:32; becoming the first Kenyan to win the Olympic gold
in the marathon. The following year, he won both the London Marathon
and Chicago Marathon
, running the fastest marathons ever recorded in the United Kingdom and United States, respectively. He retained his Chicago title in 2010 in a season fraught with injury.
In 2011, he died after falling off a balcony at his home in Nyahururu
following a domestic dispute. Police are still uncertain as to whether his death was a suicide, homicide
, or accidental.
Wanjiru started running at the age of 8. In 2002, he moved to Japan
and went to Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School in Sendai. He had success on the Japanese cross country
circuit, where he won the Fukuoka International Cross Country
at sixteen years old in 2003. He went on to win in both Fukuoka
and at the Chiba International Cross Country
consecutively in 2004 and 2005. After graduating in 2005, he joined the Toyota Kyūshū
athletics team, coached by 1992 Olympic marathon silver medal
ist Koichi Morishita
.
Wanjiru had a 5000 m
best of 13:12.40, run as a 17-year-old in April 2004 in Hiroshima
, Japan. At the age of only 18, Wanjiru broke the half marathon world record on 11 September 2005 in the Rotterdam Half Marathon
with a time of 59:16 minutes, officially beating Paul Tergat
's half-marathon record of 59:17 minutes. This was preceded two weeks earlier by a bettering of the 10,000 m
world junior record by a margin of almost 23 seconds in the IAAF Golden League Van Damme Memorial
Race on 26 August. His WJR time of 26:41.75 was good enough for third place in the race behind Kenenisa Bekele
's world record of 26:17.53 and Boniface Kiprop
's 26:39.77. It was Kiprop who held the previous world junior mark (27:04.00 minutes), set at the same meeting the previous year.
broke in early 2006, with 58:53 minutes on 9 February 2007 at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon
and improved it to 58:33 on 17 March 2007 in the City-Pier-City Loop
in The Hague
, Netherlands
. While improving his own record, he recorded an unofficial time of 55:31 for 20 kilometres (12 mi), which was faster than Haile Gebrselassie's world record but was never ratified due to the timing methods in the race.
Wanjiru made his marathon debut at Fukuoka Marathon
on 2 December 2007, winning it impressively with a course record of 2:06:39. He started 2008 by winning the Zayed International Half Marathon
and receiving a prize of US $300,000. In the 2008 London Marathon
, he came in second, breaking 2:06 for the first time. In the 2008 Summer Olympics, Wanjiru won the marathon gold medal in an Olympic record time of 2:06:32, smashing the previous record of 2:09:21 set by Carlos Lopes
of Portugal in the 1984 Olympics. He received the AIMS World Athlete of the Year Award
that year in recognition of his performances.
with a time of 58:58. In October 2009, Wanjiru won the Chicago Marathon in a time of 2:05:41, setting a new course record for the city and the fastest marathon time ever run in the United States. The wins in London and Chicago helped him reach the top of the World Marathon Majors
rankings for 2009, earning him a jackpot of US$500,000.
He signed up to defend his title at the 2010 London Marathon
, but he encountered knee trouble at the midway point of the race and decided to drop out to avoid further injury – the first time in six marathons that he had failed to finish. He chose to run at the 2010 Chicago Marathon in October, but a stomach virus before the race had harmed his preparations and he entered the competition with the lesser aim of reaching the top three. Tsegaye Kebede
took the opportunity to forge a lead, but Wanjiru (despite a lack of peak physical form) persevered with the pace and caught up with the Ethiopian. He took the lead in the final 400 m to defend his title in Chicago with a time of 2:06:24. "It was the greatest surprise I have ever seen in my life", remarked his coach, Federico Rosa, on the performance.
at his house in Nyahururu
in December 2010 and charged with threatening to kill his wife and illegally possessing an AK-47
rifle. He denied both the accusations and claimed that he was being framed.
Wanjiru's cousin Joseph Riri is a world-class marathon runner, and Wanjiru's younger brother Simon Njoroge is also a long distance runner.
He and his wife Teresa Njeri, a beautician, had a daughter Anne Wanjiru and a son Simon Njoroge.
, about 150 kilometres (93 mi) northwest of the capital, Nairobi
. Wanjiru appeared to have suffered internal injuries after the fall and was confirmed dead by doctors at a nearby hospital after attempts to revive him failed.
Police said Wanjiru's wife, Triza Njeri, had come home to find him in bed with another woman. She locked the couple in the bedroom and ran outside. Wanjiru then leapt from the balcony. Police are unsure if Wanjiru intended suicide or jumped out of rage, and are investigating the circumstances related to Njeri and his female companion that led to his death.
Awards
Most information taken from IAAF profile.
Key: † = World junior record, ‡ = Unofficial
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 athlete, who specialized in long distance running
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...
. He became a professional at a young age and broke the world record 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...
when he was 18 years old. In 2007, he broke the 20 kilometres (12 mi) road running
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...
record and improved the half marathon record by over twenty seconds.
He moved to the full 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...
and won the event at the 2008 Beijing 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...
in an Olympic record time of 2:06:32; becoming the first Kenyan to win the Olympic gold
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the marathon. The following year, he won both 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,...
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...
, running the fastest marathons ever recorded in the United Kingdom and United States, respectively. He retained his Chicago title in 2010 in a season fraught with injury.
In 2011, he died after falling off a balcony at his home in Nyahururu
Nyahururu
Nyahururu is a town in Kenya, lying east of Nakuru. It is part of Laikipia District in Rift Valley Province. Despite this, Nyahururu formerly functioned as the administrative capital of Nyandarua District, one of seven districts that constitute Central Province in Kenya, until the headquarters...
following a domestic dispute. Police are still uncertain as to whether his death was a suicide, homicide
Homicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
, or accidental.
Early career
Samuel Kamau was brought up with his brother Simon Njoroge in poverty by his mother Hannah Wanjiru, daughter of Samuel Kamau, and took her given name as a surname, because she was a single mother. He dropped out of school aged about 12, because they could not afford the school fees.Wanjiru started running at the age of 8. In 2002, he moved to 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...
and went to Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School in Sendai. He had success on the Japanese 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...
circuit, where he won the Fukuoka International Cross Country
Fukuoka International Cross Country
The Fukuoka International Cross Country is an annual cross country running competition which takes place in Fukuoka, Japan in either late February or Early March...
at sixteen years old in 2003. He went on to win in both 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...
and at the Chiba International Cross Country
Chiba International Cross Country
The Chiba International Cross Country is an annual cross country running competition which takes place in Chiba, Japan in mid-February. It is one of the IAAF permit meetings which serve as qualifying events for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships....
consecutively in 2004 and 2005. After graduating in 2005, he joined the Toyota Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
athletics team, coached by 1992 Olympic marathon 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....
ist Koichi Morishita
Koichi Morishita
Koichi Morishita is a retired Japanese male long-distance runner. He competed for Japan at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain where he won the silver medal in the men's marathon event....
.
Wanjiru had a 5000 m
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...
best of 13:12.40, run as a 17-year-old in April 2004 in Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
, Japan. At the age of only 18, Wanjiru broke the half marathon world record on 11 September 2005 in the Rotterdam Half Marathon
Rotterdam Half Marathon
The Rotterdam Half Marathon was an annual half marathon race over 21.1 kilometres, that was staged in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on the second Sunday in September. The event was contested from 2004 to 2009. It was discontinued in 2010 due to lacking participation.- Winners :-External links:* from...
with a time of 59:16 minutes, officially beating Paul Tergat
Paul Tergat
Paul Kibii Tergat is a Kenyan 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...
's half-marathon record of 59:17 minutes. This was preceded two weeks earlier by a bettering of the 10,000 m
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...
world junior record by a margin of almost 23 seconds in the IAAF Golden League Van Damme Memorial
Memorial Van Damme
Memorial van Damme is an annual athletics event at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium that takes place in late August or early September...
Race on 26 August. His WJR time of 26:41.75 was good enough for third place in the race behind Kenenisa Bekele
Kenenisa Bekele
Kenenisa Bekele is an Ethiopian long-distance runner, who holds the world record and Olympic record in both the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres events...
's world record of 26:17.53 and Boniface Kiprop
Boniface Kiprop
Boniface Toroitich Kiprop is a track and field athlete from Uganda.At the 2001 African Junior Championships in Mauritius he competed at 5000 and 10000 metres, finishing 1st and 2nd, respectively. Two years later the championships were held in Cameroon, and he won both events...
's 26:39.77. It was Kiprop who held the previous world junior mark (27:04.00 minutes), set at the same meeting the previous year.
World records and Olympic gold
Wanjiru took back the half marathon world record, which Haile GebrselassieHaile 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 in early 2006, with 58:53 minutes on 9 February 2007 at 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...
and improved it to 58:33 on 17 March 2007 in the City-Pier-City Loop
City-Pier-City Loop
The CPC Loop Den Haag is an annual half marathon competition held in the Hague, Netherlands, every mid-March....
in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. While improving his own record, he recorded an unofficial time of 55:31 for 20 kilometres (12 mi), which was faster than Haile Gebrselassie's world record but was never ratified due to the timing methods in the race.
Wanjiru made his marathon debut at Fukuoka Marathon
Fukuoka Marathon
The , held in Fukuoka, Japan, is an international men's marathon race established in 1947. It is usually held on the first Sunday in December.The course record is held by Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia, running 2:05:18 in 2009 to best his own record from the previous year.-Men's winners:Winners of the...
on 2 December 2007, winning it impressively with a course record of 2:06:39. He started 2008 by winning the Zayed International Half Marathon
Zayed International Half Marathon
The Zayed International Half Marathon is an annual road running competition which takes place in January in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The inaugural edition of the half marathon race, named after Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, was held in 2008...
and receiving a prize of US $300,000. In the 2008 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,...
, he came in second, breaking 2:06 for the first time. In the 2008 Summer Olympics, Wanjiru won the marathon gold medal in an Olympic record time of 2:06:32, smashing the previous record of 2:09:21 set by Carlos Lopes
Carlos Lopes
Carlos Alberto de Sousa Lopes, GCIH, is a former Portuguese long-distance athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1984 Summer Olympics, in Los Angeles. He brought home Portugal's first ever Olympic gold medal along with a new Olympic record - 2:09.21.Born in Vildemoinhos, near Viseu, Portugal,...
of Portugal in the 1984 Olympics. He received the AIMS World Athlete of the Year Award
AIMS World Athlete of the Year Award
The AIMS World Athlete of the Year Award is a long-distance running prize which is given annually by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races to the top male and female athletes of the year....
that year in recognition of his performances.
London and Chicago wins
At the Granollers Half Marathon in February 2008, in which Wanjiru won, the Kenyan stated his intent for the future, saying, "in five years' time I feel capable of clocking a sub 2 hours time for the marathon." In April 2009, Wanjiru won the London Marathon in a time of 2:05:10, a new personal record and also a new course record. He was pleased with the achievement and stated that he hoped to break Haile Gebrselassie's world record in the near future. At the Rotterdam Half Marathon, Wanjiru clocked a 1:01:08 on 13 September, which was won by Sammy KitwaraSammy Kitwara
Sammy Kirop Kitwara is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specialises in road running events. He is coached by Moses Kiptanui....
with a time of 58:58. In October 2009, Wanjiru won the Chicago Marathon in a time of 2:05:41, setting a new course record for the city and the fastest marathon time ever run in the United States. The wins in London and Chicago helped him reach the top of the World Marathon Majors
World Marathon Majors
The World Marathon Majors is a championship-style competition for marathon runners that started in 2006. It comprises five annual races for the cities of Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, and New York City. Two other races are also included in the series: the IAAF World Championships Marathon and...
rankings for 2009, earning him a jackpot of US$500,000.
He signed up to defend his title at the 2010 London Marathon
2010 London Marathon
The 2010 London Marathon took place on Sunday, 25 April 2010. Up to 36,000 people are thought to have taken part, a record for the event. The men's event was won by Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia with a time of 2:05:19 and the women's event by Liliya Shobukhova of Russia with a time of 2:22:00...
, but he encountered knee trouble at the midway point of the race and decided to drop out to avoid further injury – the first time in six marathons that he had failed to finish. He chose to run at the 2010 Chicago Marathon in October, but a stomach virus before the race had harmed his preparations and he entered the competition with the lesser aim of reaching the top three. Tsegaye Kebede
Tsegaye Kebede
Tsegaye Kebede Wordofa is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who competes in road running events, including marathons. He quickly rose to become a prominent distance runner after his international debut at the Amsterdam Marathon in 2007...
took the opportunity to forge a lead, but Wanjiru (despite a lack of peak physical form) persevered with the pace and caught up with the Ethiopian. He took the lead in the final 400 m to defend his title in Chicago with a time of 2:06:24. "It was the greatest surprise I have ever seen in my life", remarked his coach, Federico Rosa, on the performance.
Personal life
Wanjiru was arrested by Kenyan policeKenya Police
The Kenya Police is a national body in charge of law enforcement in the East Africa State of Kenya. While organised at a national level, each arm reports to a Provincial police authority, which in turn divides its force by local Police Divisions, headquartered at local police stations...
at his house in Nyahururu
Nyahururu
Nyahururu is a town in Kenya, lying east of Nakuru. It is part of Laikipia District in Rift Valley Province. Despite this, Nyahururu formerly functioned as the administrative capital of Nyandarua District, one of seven districts that constitute Central Province in Kenya, until the headquarters...
in December 2010 and charged with threatening to kill his wife and illegally possessing an AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
rifle. He denied both the accusations and claimed that he was being framed.
Wanjiru's cousin Joseph Riri is a world-class marathon runner, and Wanjiru's younger brother Simon Njoroge is also a long distance runner.
He and his wife Teresa Njeri, a beautician, had a daughter Anne Wanjiru and a son Simon Njoroge.
Death
On 15 May 2011, Wanjiru died from a fall off a balcony at his home in Nyahururu, a town in the Rift ValleyRift Valley
In order of specificity, Rift Valley can refer to:*a rift valley in general*the Great Rift Valley*the Rift Valley fever*the valley of the East African Rift*Rift Valley Province, Kenya and border with Uganda...
, about 150 kilometres (93 mi) northwest of the capital, 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...
. Wanjiru appeared to have suffered internal injuries after the fall and was confirmed dead by doctors at a nearby hospital after attempts to revive him failed.
Police said Wanjiru's wife, Triza Njeri, had come home to find him in bed with another woman. She locked the couple in the bedroom and ran outside. Wanjiru then leapt from the balcony. Police are unsure if Wanjiru intended suicide or jumped out of rage, and are investigating the circumstances related to Njeri and his female companion that led to his death.
Achievements
| Representing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 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... |
Ras Al Khaimah, UAE | 1st | Half marathon | 58:53 = WR |
| Fukuoka Marathon Fukuoka Marathon The , held in Fukuoka, Japan, is an international men's marathon race established in 1947. It is usually held on the first Sunday in December.The course record is held by Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia, running 2:05:18 in 2009 to best his own record from the previous year.-Men's winners:Winners of the... |
Fukuoka, Japan | 1st | Marathon | 2:06:39 | |
| 2008 | Summer Olympics | Bejing, China | 1st | Marathon | 2:06:32 = OR |
| 2009 | 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,... |
London, United Kingdom | 1st | Marathon | 2:05:10 |
| 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... |
Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... , United States |
1st | Marathon | 2:05:41 | |
| 2010 | 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... |
Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... , United States |
1st | Marathon | 2:06:23 |
Awards
- 2005 Kenyan Most Promising Sportsman of the YearKenyan Sports Personality of the YearKenyan 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...
award. - 2008 Kenyan Sportsman of the Year Award.
Personal bests
| Event | Time | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
13:12.40 | 29 April 2005 | Hiroshima Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M... |
| 10,000 metres | 26:41.75† | 26 August 2005 | 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... |
| 20 kilometres | 55:31‡ | 17 March 2007 | Den Haag |
| 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... |
58:33 | 17 March 2007 | Den Haag |
| 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... |
2:05:10 | 26 April 2009 | London |
Most information taken from IAAF profile.
Key: † = World junior record, ‡ = Unofficial
External links
- Focus on Athletes article from IAAF
- Samuel Kamau's Story at Peak Sports Management
- Rosa & Associati profile
- Samuel Wanjiru reviews after Rotterdam half marathon
- Samuel Wanjiru: End of the Run – slideshow by Life magazine