| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men’s athletics | ||
Representing  Kenya | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
 | 2008 Beijing | 3000 m st. |
| World Championships | ||
 | 2009 Berlin | 3000 m st. |
| 2007 Osaka | 3000 m st. |
| Commonwealth Games | ||
 | 2010 Delhi | 3000 m st. |
| Continental Cup | ||
| 2010 Split | 3000 m st. |
Richard Kipkemboi Mateelong (born 14 October 1983) is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner who specializes in the 3000 metre steeplechase. He won an Olympic bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and he has two World Championship medals in the discipline.
He was born in Lenape village, near Narok town in 1983. He started running in 1998, while at high school. He graduated from Moi Amalo Secondary School in 2001 and then joined Kenya Police. In 2004 he finished fifth at the Kenyan Olympic trials, missing the Olympics but was selected for the African Championships, where he won a silver medal. [1]
Mainly competing on the European track and field circuit, he qualified for the IAAF World Athletics Final in 2004, 2005 and 2006, eventually winning a silver medal in the latter edition. His times continued to improve and his new personal best of 8:07.50 set in Rome made him the third fastest man that year. [2] The 2007 season marked a breakthrough for Mateelong as he reached the podium at his first World Championships by taking the bronze medal in the men's steeplechase race. He closed the year with a second consecutive silver at the World Athletics Final. [3]
He made a strong start to the 2008 season, becoming African steeplechase champion at the 2008 African Championships in Athletics. He went on to win his first ever Olympic medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics later that year, finishing behind compatriot Brimin Kipruto and Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad in the Olympic final. He again managed to get in the medals at the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final and won bronze on that occasion. [3]
The 2009 World Championships in Athletics brought a new steeplechase best of 8:00.89 for Mateelong, and although he did not beat Ezekiel Kemboi it was enough to win his first silver medal at the global championship level. He competed at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final (the final edition of the competition) but failed to maintain his form and finished eighth. [3]
He ran in the Giro Media Blenio 10K in 2010 and finished in third place behind Moses Mosop and Imane Merga. [4]
At the Doha 2012 Diamond League meeting, Mateelong was second to compatriot Paul Koech in the steeplechase, in a new personal best time of 7:56.81. This makes Mateelong the eighth fastest man in history. He came fourth behind Abel Mutai at the Kenyan Olympic trials, however, meaning he did not gain selection for the Kenyan team. [5]
As of 2008 [update] , he lives in Nyeri and is married with one child. [1] He is managed by Gianni Demadonna. He is technically advised by Renato Canova.
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representing Kenya | |||||
| 2004 | African Championships | Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo | 2nd | 3000 m s'chase | 8:26.34 |
| World Athletics Final | Monte Carlo, Monaco | 5th | 3000 m s'chase | ||
| 2005 | World Athletics Final | Monte Carlo, Monaco | 10th | 3000 m s'chase | |
| 2006 | World Athletics Final | Stuttgart, Germany | 2nd | 3000 m s'chase | 8:08.62 |
| 2007 | World Championships | Osaka, Japan | 3rd | 3000 m s'chase | 8:17.59 |
| World Athletics Final | Stuttgart, Germany | 2nd | 3000 m s'chase | 8:07.66 | |
| 2008 | African Championships | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | 1st | 3000 m s'chase | 8:31.68 |
| Olympic Games | Beijing, China | 3rd | 3000 m s'chase | 8:11.01 | |
| World Athletics Final | Stuttgart, Germany | 3rd | 3000 m s'chase | ||
| 2009 | World Championships | Berlin, Germany | 2nd | 3000 m s'chase | 8:00.89 |
| World Athletics Final | Thessaloniki, Greece | 8th | 3000 m s'chase | 8:18.83 | |
| 2010 | World Cross Country Championships | Bydgoszcz, Poland | 7th | Senior race | Individual |
| 1st | Senior race | Team | |||
| African Championships | Nairobi, Kenya | 1st | 3000 m s'chase | 8:23.54 | |
| Continental Cup | Split, Croatia | 1st | 3000 m s'chase | ||
| Commonwealth Games | New Delhi, India | 1st | 3000 m s'chase | 8:16.39 | |
| 2011 | World Championships | Daegu, South Korea | 7th | 3000 m s'chase | 8:19.31 |
Ezekiel Kemboi Cheboi is a Kenyan professional athlete, winner of the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2009 World Championships, the 2011 World Championships, the 2012 Summer Olympics, the 2013 World Championships and the 2015 World Championships. His 3000 m steeplechase best of 7:55.76 set at Monaco in 2011 places him as the seventh fastest of all time. This time is also the fastest non-winning time in history. He is one of only five men to have won both Olympic and World golds in the event, along with Reuben Kosgei, Brimin Kipruto, Conseslus Kipruto and Soufiane El Bakkali. He and El Bakkali are the only multiple gold medalists in both. He is the only athlete to have won four world championships in the steeplechase. He is one of only three athletes to have won two Olympic titles in the event; the other two being Volmari Iso-Hollo and Soufiane El Bakkali.
Brimin Kipruto is a Kenyan professional middle distance runner who specialises in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He was born in Korkitony, Keiyo District. He holds a personal best of 7:53.64 minutes which is the second fastest time ever run, and the African Record. His personal best is only 0.01 of a second behind the world record of former country mate Saif Saaeed Shaheen, who switched national affiliation to Qatar after growing up as Stephen Cherono in the Keiyo District.
Priscah Jepleting Cherono, née Ngetich is a Kenyan professional runner who specialises in the 5000 metres and cross-country running. She represented Kenya in the 5000 m at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She is the Kenyan record holder over the two miles distance.
Edwin Cheruiyot Soi is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner who specialises in the 3000 and 5000 metres. He is a two-time Olympian for Kenya.
Michael Kipkorir Kipyego is a Kenyan runner who competes in marathon races. He was initially a specialist in the 3000 metres steeplechase and was the 2002 World Junior Champion in the event. He represented Kenya in the steeplechase at the World Championships in 2003 and was runner-up at the 2008 African Championships. He set a personal best of 8:08.48 in 2009.
Bouchra Chaabi is a Moroccan long-distance runner who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase.
Ali Ezzine is a Moroccan athlete who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He won the bronze medal in this event at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Sylvia Jebiwott Kibet is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner. She was the silver medallist in the 5000 metres at the World Championships in Athletics in both 2009 and 2011. She also won medals over the distance at the 2006 African Championships in Athletics, the 2007 All-Africa Games and 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Eunice Jepkorir Kertich is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specialises in the steeplechase. She was the 2008 Olympic silver medalist in the event and bronze medalist at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics.
Linet Chepkwemoi Masai is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner who competes in track and cross country running events. She won her first world title in the 10,000 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics.
Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad is a retired French professional middle-distance runner of Algerian descent who mainly competed in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He is the only man to win three Olympic steeplechase medals, claiming silver in 2008 and 2012 and bronze in 2016. He also won two bronze medals at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in 2011 and 2013. Mekhissi-Benabbad earned titles at five consecutive editions of the European Athletics Championships between 2010 and 2018.
Milcah Chemos Cheywa is a runner from Kenya who specialises in 3000 metres steeplechase. She was, until 2015, African record holder at the distance and is the gold medalist of the 2013 World Championships in Athletics.
Mark Kosgey Kiptoo is a Kenyan long-distance runner who set the world record in the marathon for the Masters age group by running 2:07:50 in the 2018 Frankfurt Marathon. He also specialized in the 5000 metres throughout his career. He is a two-time gold medalist in the event at the Military World Games and won bronze medals over the distance at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2010 African Championships in Athletics. He has also represented Kenya at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships and the All-Africa Games.
Paul Kipng'etich Tanui is a Kenyan long-distance runner. He won the 2010 Kenyan cross country title and went on to take the silver medal at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
Yacob Jarso Kintra is an Ethiopian professional long-distance runner and former steeplechaser. He has represented Ethiopia at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2009 World Championships in Athletics.
Dejen Gebremeskel is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who primarily competes in track events. His personal best of 12:46.81 minutes for the 5,000 metres ranks him as the fifteenth fastest of all time for the distance. He was the 5,000 m silver medallist at the 2012 London Olympics and took the bronze medal over that distance at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics.
Conseslus Kipruto is a Kenyan middle-distance runner who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He was the 2016 Rio Olympic champion in the event. At the World Athletics Championships, Kipruto won gold medals in 2017 and 2019, silver medals in 2013 and 2015, and a bronze in 2022. In 2018, he captured gold medals at the African Championships and Commonwealth Games. He is a four-time Diamond League winner.
Jairus Kipchoge Birech is a Kenyan steeplechase runner. He holds a personal best time of 7:58.41 minutes for the 3000 metres steeplechase, which ranks him among the top ten of all time. He was the gold medallist at the 2014 African Championships in Athletics and silver medallist at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Jonathan Muia Ndiku is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specialises in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He has a personal best of 8:07.75 minutes. He was the gold medallist in the event at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, where he broke the Commonwealth Games record.
Rosefline Chepngetich is a Kenyan steeplechase runner. She holds a personal best of 9:35.75 minutes for the 3000 metres steeplechase and is ranked third on the all-time youth lists for the 2000 m steeplechase distance.
African Champions in men's 3000 m steeplechase | |
|---|---|
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Commonwealth Games champions in men's 3000 metres steeplechase | |
|---|---|
| 2 miles steeplechase (1930–1934) |
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| 3000 metres steeplechase (1970–present) |
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