Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor (born 22 November 1992) is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner. He won the silver medal in the 10,000 metres at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics. Kamworor claimed victories at the World Half Marathon Championships three times in a row from 2014 to 2018. He took individual titles at the World Cross Country Championships in 2015 and 2017, and finished third in 2019. He won his first World Marathon Major at the 2017 New York City Marathon and regained his title in 2019, after a second-place finish in 2015. Kamworor also placed second at the 2023 London Marathon and earned three other podium finishes at a World Marathon Majors.
At age 18, he was the 2011 World Junior Cross Country champion. Kamworor is the former half marathon world record holder, having won the Copenhagen Half Marathon with a time of 58:01 in September 2019. His record stood until December 2020 when it was bested by Kibiwott Kandie at the 2020 Valencia Half Marathon. [1]
Geoffrey was raised in the village of Chepkorio in Kenya's Rift Valley Province, [2] he first competed abroad in 2010, when he travelled to Finland and set track bests of 3:48.15 minutes for the 1500 metres and 7:54.15 minutes over 3000 metres. [3] The following year he took to the Kenya cross country circuit and won at the Discovery Kenya Cross Country in Eldoret, defeating Essa Ismail Rashed. [4] At the Kenyan Cross Country Championships a month later, he ran in the junior section and finished in fourth, which was enough to earn him a place on the team for the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. [5] The world competition proved to be a pivotal moment for Kamworor's career, although it was his teammate Isiah Kiplangat Koech who was the pre-race favourite. The Kenyans were not given any team instructions and Kamworor reacted by taking the lead immediately with a very fast start. He never slipped out of the lead and out ran the field on the final lap to take the world junior title. [2]
A month after his cross country victory, he entered the Berlin Half Marathon and won in a time of 1:00:38 hours. [6] In June he competed in the 2011 IAAF Diamond League circuit: he set a 5000 metres best of 13:12.23 minutes at the Adidas Grand Prix in New York, then improved his 10,000 metres time to 27:06.35 minutes at the Prefontaine Classic. [3] He knocked over half a minute off his half marathon best to win the Lille Half Marathon that September. [7] Kamworor was employed as a pacemaker for the 2011 Berlin Marathon and his work resulted in a new world record for Patrick Makau. [8] In his final outing of the year he ended the Delhi Half Marathon as runner-up to Lelisa Desisa after a sprint finish, [9] although his time of 59:31 minutes made him the seventh fastest over the distance that year. [10]
Kamworor marked his entrance into the senior cross country ranks with a win at the 2012 Cross Internacional de Itálica in Seville. [11] [12] He was the runner-up at the Elgoibar Cross Country behind Paul Tanui the following week. [13] He set a half marathon best at the CPC Loop Den Haag in March, recording a time of 59:26 minutes for fourth place in a high calibre competition. [14] He was enlisted to pace the Rotterdam Marathon and led the runners quicker than the world record pace up to 30 km. [15] He won the World 10K Bangalore title, beating a large field of prominent runners. [16] His marathon debut, not as a pacemaker, came in September, where he ran a fast time of 2:06:12 hours to claim third place at the 2012 Berlin Marathon. [17]
In the 2013 season he ran a series of half and full marathons. He won the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon with a time of 58:54, a new personal best and just two seconds outside the course record. [18] He was the winner of the Bogotá Half Marathon in July and was runner-up to Atsedu Tsegay at the Delhi Half Marathon. [19] [20] He placed fourth at the Rotterdam Marathon (2:09:12 hours) and his best performance that year was a run of 2:06:26 hours for third at the 2013 Berlin Marathon. [21]
In 2014, Kamworor placed sixth at the Tokyo marathon But in March he did win the world half Marathon Championships, defeating five time world half Marathon Championships winner Zersenay Tadese.
In 2015, he started off his year by winning the world cross country championships, beating Muktha of Ethiopia. [22] He then won the Prefontaine classic 10k, the Kenyan National thousand and 10 K and the world championship silver medal in the 10,000 m.
Kamworor won the 2017 New York City Marathon with a time of 2:10:53. He beat fellow Kenyan, Wilson Kipsang, who placed second, just three seconds behind him. [23]
In 2018, he won his third straight half marathon world championship in Valencia in 1:00:02. [24] Also in 2018 Kamworor placed third in the 2018 New York City Marathon with a time of 2:06:26 behind the first and second place Ethiopian runners Lelisa Desisa and Shura Kitata.
Kamworor won the Copenhagen Half Marathon on 15 September 2019 in a world record time of 58:01. [25] In November, he won the 2019 New York City Marathon with a time of 2:08:13, his second time winning the race in three years. [26] [27]
On June 27, 2020, Kamworor was hit by a motorcycle while out on a daily run resulting in a tibia fracture that required surgery. [28] In January 2021, he ran his first race since the accident, winning the 2021 Kenya Police Cross Country Championship 10k in a time of 29:22. [29] On June 18, 2021, he secured his spot on the Kenyan 2020 Olympic 10000 metre team by winning at the Kenyan trials in Kasarani in 27:01. [30]
Kamworor was set to compete in the Tokyo Olympics but had to pull out of the competition due to an ankle injury. [31]
Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing Kenya | |||||
2011 | World Cross Country Championships | Punta Umbria, Spain | 1st | Junior race | 22:21 |
1st | Junior team | 20 pts | |||
2014 | World Half Marathon Championships | Copenhagen, Denmark | 1st | Half marathon | 59:08 |
2nd | Team | 2:59:38 | |||
2015 | World Cross Country Championships | Guiyang, China | 1st | Senior race | 34:52 |
2nd | Senior team | 20 pts | |||
World Championships | Beijing, China | 2nd | 10,000 m | 27:01.76 | |
2016 | World Half Marathon Championships | Cardiff, United Kingdom | 1st | Half marathon | 59:10 |
1st | Team | 2:58:58 | |||
Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 11th | 10,000 m | 27:31.94 | |
2017 | World Cross Country Championships | Kampala, Uganda | 1st | Senior race | 28:24 |
2nd | Senior team | 22 pts | |||
World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 6th | 10,000 m | 26:57.77 | |
2018 | World Half Marathon Championships | Valencia, Spain | 1st | Half marathon | 60:02 |
2nd | Team | 3:02:40 | |||
2019 | World Cross Country Championships | Aarhus, Denmark | 3rd | Senior race | 31:55 |
2nd | Senior team | 43 pts | |||
2022 | World Championships | Eugene, OR, United States | 5th | Marathon | 2:07:14 |
2023 | World Cross Country Championships | Bathurst, Australia | 4th | Senior race | 29:37 |
1st | Senior team | 22 pts | |||
World Marathon Majors | |||||
2012 | Berlin Marathon | Berlin, Germany | 3rd | Marathon | 2:06:12 |
2013 | Berlin Marathon | Berlin, Germany | 3rd | Marathon | 2:06:26 |
2014 | Tokyo Marathon | Tokyo, Japan | 6th | Marathon | 2:07:37 |
Berlin Marathon | Berlin, Germany | 4th | Marathon | 2:06:39 | |
2015 | New York City Marathon | New York, NY, United States | 2nd | Marathon | 2:10:48 |
2017 | New York City Marathon | New York, NY, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:10:53 |
2018 | New York City Marathon | New York, NY, United States | 3rd | Marathon | 2:06:26 |
2019 | New York City Marathon | New York, NY, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:08:13 |
2023 | London Marathon | London, United Kingdom | 2nd | Marathon | 2:04:23 |
Lucy Wangui Kabuu is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in the 5000 and 10,000 metres events. She has represented Kenya twice at the Summer Olympics, finishing in the top ten of the 10,000 m race in both 2004 and 2008. Her personal bests of 14:33.49 minutes for the 5000 m and 30:39.96 minutes for the 10,000 m make her one of Kenya's fastest ever runners in the events.
Eliud Kipchoge is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in the marathon and formerly specialized at the 5000 metre distance. Regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time, he is the 2016 and 2020 Olympic marathon champion, and was the world record holder in the marathon with a time of 2:01:09 set at the 2022 Berlin Marathon, until that record was broken by Kelvin Kiptum at the Chicago Marathon on 8 October 2023 with a time of 2:00:35. He has run five of the 10 fastest marathons in history.
Mike Kipruto Kigen is a Kenyan long-distance runner. He specializes in the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres and won silver medals in both events at the African Championships in Athletics in 2006 representing Kenya. In October 2015, he changed his name to Kaan Kigen Özbilen and has since then competed for Turkey.
Salim Kipsang is a Kenyan long-distance runner, who specializes in the 10,000 metres and marathon.
Florence Jebet Kiplagat is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner. She is a two-time world champion, having won at the 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and the 2010 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships. She was the world record holder for the women's half marathon with a time of 1:05:09 hours until it was broken by Peres Jepchirchir on 10 February 2017 at the RAK Half Marathon.
Tadese Tola is an Ethiopian long-distance runner. He has represented Ethiopia at World championship level in cross country, road running, and on the track.
Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich is a Kenyan professional athlete who specialises in long-distance running, competing in events ranging from 10 km to the marathon. He was the bronze medallist in the marathon at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He is the former world record holder in the marathon with a time of 2:03:23, which he set at the 2013 Berlin Marathon. He has run under 2 hours 4 minutes for the marathon on four occasions.
Geoffrey Kiprono Mutai is a Kenyan long distance runner who specialises in road running competitions. On 18 April 2011 at the Boston Marathon, Mutai ran the fastest marathon ever at the time in a time of 2 hours 3 minutes 2 seconds, though the time was not recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations as a world record since the Boston course does not meet the criteria to be eligible for the mark.
Lelisa Desisa Benti is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who specialises in road running competitions. Desisa gained his first international medal at the 2009 African Junior Athletics Championships, where he took the 10,000 metres gold medal.
Peter Cheruiyot Kirui is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner who competes over 10,000 metres on the track and in road running competitions. He was the 2011 Kenyan champion over 10,000 m and came sixth at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics. He has acted as a pacemaker for major marathons and has a marathon best of 2:06:31 hours. His best for the half marathon is 59:22 minutes.
Levy Matebo Omari is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes mainly in marathon races. Matebo has a personal best of 2:05:16 hours for the 42.195 km distance, which he set as a runner-up at the 2011 Frankfurt Marathon. He was also second at the Boston Marathon in 2012. He has won marathons in Brussels and Barcelona. In addition to the marathon, he has a half marathon best of 1:00:06 hours.
Bedan Karoki Muchiri is a Kenyan professional long distance runner who competes in track, cross country and road running disciplines. He represented Kenya at the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.
Stephen Kiprotich is a Ugandan long-distance runner. He is an Olympic marathon champion, having won the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Kiprotich also won a gold at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics. After Gezahegne Abera, he is the second person to follow an Olympic marathon title with a world championship gold medal for the same event.
The men's 10,000 metres event at the 2016 Summer Olympics took place on 13 August at the Olympic Stadium. In a tactical yet comparatively quick race, Great Britain's Mo Farah defended his Olympic title in 27:05.17 minutes, becoming the sixth man to win the Olympic 10,000 metres title twice. Reaching their first Olympic podium, Kenya's Paul Tanui was the silver medallist and Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia took the bronze.
Robert Kwemoi Chemosin is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in half marathons. His personal best for the event is 59:19 minutes. He is managed by Gianni De Madonna.
Mosinet Geremew is an Ethiopian middle-distance and long-distance runner.
Aron Kifle Teklu is an Eritrean long-distance runner. He is the bronze medallist from the 2018 World Half Marathon Championships in Valencia. Aron is also the silver medallist in the 10000m from both the 2016 World U20 Championships and the 2019 All-African Games.
Vincent Kipsang Rono is a Kenyan male long-distance runner who competes in track, road running, and cross country running.
The 2018 New York City Marathon was a marathon race held in New York City, United States, which took place on November 4, 2018. It was the 48th edition of the New York City Marathon, which is organised by New York Road Runners. The men's race was won by Lelisa Desisa, who held off a late challenge at the finish by Shura Kitata. The women's race was won by Mary Keitany, her fourth win of the event. Both Desisa and Keitany recorded the second fastest times on the course. In the wheelchair races, Daniel Romanchuk (1:36:21) and Switzerland's Manuela Schär (1:50:27) won the men's and women's races, respectively. A total of 52,704 runners finished the race, comprising 30,592 men and 22,112 women.
The 2019 New York City Marathon was the 49th running of the annual marathon race held in New York City, United States, which took place on November 3, 2019. The men's race was won by Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor in a time of 2:08:13. The women's race was won in 2:22:38 by Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei, making her official debut at the distance. The men and women's wheelchair races, were won by American Daniel Romanchuk (1:37:24) and Switzerland's Manuela Schär (1:44:20), respectively. A total of 53,508 runners finished the race, comprising 30,794 men and 22,714 women.