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Mary Jepkosgei Keitany
Mary Keitany nyc.jpg
Keitany at the 2011 New York City Marathon
Personal information
Born (1982-01-18) 18 January 1982 (age 42)
Kabarnet, Baringo County, Kenya
Weight 42 kg
Sport
Country Kenya
Sport Athletics
Event(s) Marathon
Retired Sep. 2021
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  Kenya
World Half Marathon Championships
Gold 2007 Udine Team
Gold 2009 Birmingham Individual
Gold 2009 Birmingham Team
Silver 2007 Udine Individual
World Marathon Majors
Gold 2011 London Marathon
Gold 2012 London Marathon
Gold 2014 New York Marathon
Gold 2015 New York Marathon
Gold 2016 New York Marathon
Gold 2017 London Marathon
Gold 2018 New York Marathon
Silver 2015 London Marathon
Silver 2017 New York Marathon
Silver 2019 New York Marathon
Bronze 2010 New York Marathon
Bronze 2011 New York Marathon

Mary Jepkosgei Keitany (born 18 January 1982) is a Kenyan former professional long distance runner. She is the world record holder in a women-only marathon, having won the 2017 London Marathon in a time of 2:17:01. As of November 2022, she placed fifth on the world all-time list at the marathon and eleventh on the respective world all-time list for the half marathon.

Her former half marathon best of 1:05:50 (2011) lived three years as the women's world record. She also has held world bests at 10 miles (50:05 minutes), 20 kilometres (1:02:36), and 25 kilometres (1:19:53), all of which were set in road races. In August 2018, she was honored by the Shoe4Africa foundation who funded and built the Mary Keitany Shoe4Africa school in Torokwonin, Baringo County, Kenya. She and her husband Charles sit on the Shoe4Africa school board.

Career

Born in Kabarnet, Baringo County, Keitany started running while in primary school. In 2002, she joined the Hidden Talent Academy.

2006

In January, she placed 21st in her first senior race at the Shoe4Africa 5 kilometre women's race.

2007

She won a silver medal at the World Road Running Championships, finishing second to Lornah Kiplagat who broke the world record.

2009

After a year out due to pregnancy, she returned to competition at the World 10K Bangalore in May. She set a new personal best but finished one second behind winner Aselefech Mergia.

In September, she won the Lille Half Marathon with a finish time of 1:07:00, which was the seventh fastest of all-time.

This performance qualified her for the World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham, where she outpaced Aberu Kebede to win her first world championship, set a new personal best of 1:06:36, and broke the championship record. She won a second gold medal as part of the winning Kenyan squad in the team competition. Reflecting on the win, she noted, "It's my best ever time, so I'm so happy.... I had a baby just 1 year and 3 months ago." Her 15 kilometre interval time, 46:51 minutes, was faster than the world record of 46:55 held by Kayoko Fukushi of Japan; however, Keitany's time was not ratified as a new world record because of the lower elevation of the 15 kilometre mark compared to the race start. Her time was the second fastest ever in the half marathon (after Lornah Kiplagat). The half marathon time was a new African record, with the previous record of 1:06:44 hours set by Elana Meyer of South Africa in 1999. Keitany also beat the previous Kenyan record of 1:06:48 that she set in Udine two years earlier. The director of the New York City Marathon, Mary Wittenberg, suggested that she could become a world-beater over the full marathon distance in the coming years.

2010

She won the Abu Dhabi Half Marathon.

She also won the Berlin 25 kilometre race, setting a new world record of 1:19:53 hours. The previous record was set by Mizuki Noguchi of Japan in 2005. Keitany finished almost five minutes ahead of runner-up Alice Timbilili.

In preparing for the New York City Marathon, she won the Portugal Half Marathon in Lisbon in September, leading from the front to win largely uncontested in a time of 1:08:46.

In her debut at the New York City Marathon, she was among the leading three for much of the race but faded to finish third in a time of 2:29:01 hours.

2011

Keitany began the year in record-breaking form as she won the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon with a world record time of 1:05:50 hours. This marked the first time a woman had run the distance in under 1:06 hours on a non-aided course. She also set other records along the way, including a world record of 1:02:36 for 20 kilometres and world best times for 8 kilometres and 10 miles.

She then won the London Marathon in a time of 2:19:17, pulling away from the field at the 14-mile mark and becoming the fourth fastest woman ever over the marathon distance.

In September, she won the Portugal Half Marathon for the second time and improved upon her own course record with a winning time of 1:07:54 hours.

She was the pre-race favourite for the New York City Marathon, where she built a significant lead by the halfway point (running at more than four minutes faster than the course record). She slowed dramatically, however, in the second half of the race and was overtaken by Firehiwot Dado and Buzunesh Deba, leaving her in third place with a finishing time of 2:23:38 hours.

2012

She intended to improve her world record mark at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, but windy conditions slowed her to a finish time of 1:06:49 hours.

At the London Marathon, she broke Catherine Ndereba's African record with a winning time of 2:18:37 hours and became the third fastest woman ever at this distance.

At the Summer Olympics in London, she ran a fast pace among the lead pack until the 41 kilometre mark, where she fell behind to finish fourth.

2013

She announced her pregnancy at the start of 2013 and skipped that year's competitions.

2014

On 2 November, Keitany battled with eventual second-place finisher Jemima Sumgong to win the New York City Marathon in a time of 2:25:07.

2015

At the London Marathon, Keitany was one of the "Fantastic Four" of Kenyans (consisting of Keitany, Edna Kiplagat, Florence Kiplagat, and Priscah Jeptoo) who were expected to win the race and possibly challenge Paula Radcliffe's course record (and women's world record). Down the last stretch of the race, Keitany battled Ethiopian Tirfi Tsegaye, with Keitany finishing second in 2:23:40 hours, 18 seconds behind winner Tigist Tufa from Ethiopia. Keitany remarked after the race that she was affected by the wind and cold weather.

2016

Keitany won the New York City Marathon in 2:24:26 hours. Sally Kipyego finished second (2:28:01), with Molly Huddle in third (2:28:13). Keitany won the 2016 Bix 7 Road Race in Davenport, Iowa in 35:18 and set the course record for women.

2017

In April, Keitany won the London Marathon, setting a new world record (women only) at 2:17:01 hours. She bettered Radcliffe's record by 41 seconds, which she set at the 2005 London Marathon. Tirunesh Dibaba finished second, 55 seconds behind. (Radcliffe has run a faster time in a mixed gender event, but that is a separate record.) Her 1st half marathon split time was 1:06:54 hours.

Earlier in February the same year, Keitany finished the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon second (1:05.13) after Peres Jepchirchir, whose 1:05:06 finish time set a new world record. The third, fourth, and fifth-place finishers (Joyciline Jepkosgei, Jemima Sumgong, and Tirunesh Dibaba) also set new personal bests.

She won the TD Beach to Beacon 10k on 5 August 2017 in a course record time of 30:41 minutes. She improved the cr set at last year's run.

Keitany did not compete at the World Championships in London.

On 10 September 2017, Keitany won the 2017 Great North Run in 1:05:59, 20 seconds off her course record from 2014.

On 5 November 2017, she finished second at the New York City Marathon at a time of 2:27:54.

2018

On 4 November 2018, Keitany won the New York City Marathon in a time of 2:22:48, a time just 17 seconds off the course record. For the first half she needed 75:30 and the second 66:58, in a women-only race. Her 10 km interval times were 37:07, 35:02, 31:33, 31:47 and 7:19 for the last 2.195 km. Keitany's time between km 25 and km 35 was 30:53. Vivian Cheruiyot was the runner up in 2:26:02, and the previous year's winner Shalane Flanagan was in third place with 2:26:22.

2019

Keitany came second at the New York City Marathon behind half marathon world record holder and debutante Joyciline Jepkosgei in 2:23:32.

Retirement

Mary Keitany announced her retirement on 22 September 2021 aged 39 years. Her retirement was occasioned by a hip injury she suffered during the 2019 London marathon, which restricted her training and performance.

Personal life

She is married to another runner Charles Koech and gave birth to her first child, Jared, in June 2008, and her second child, Samantha, in April 2013. She stopped training and other sporting activities at the third month of pregnancy, and resumed when the babies were six months old. She trains in Iten, is managed by Gianni Demadonna.

Major competition record

Representing  Kenya
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
2007 World Road Running Championships Udine, Italy 2nd Half marathon 1:06:48 NR
2009 World Half Marathon Championships Birmingham, United Kingdom 1st Half marathon 1:06:36 AR
2012 Olympic Games London, United Kingdom 4th Marathon 2:23:56
World Marathon Majors
2010 New York Marathon New York, NY, United States 3rd Marathon 2:29:01
2011 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 1st Marathon 2:19:19
New York Marathon New York, NY, United States 3rd Marathon 2:23:38
2012 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 1st Marathon 2:18:37 AR
2014 New York Marathon New York, NY, United States 1st Marathon 2:25:07
2015 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 2nd Marathon 2:23:40
New York Marathon New York, NY, United States 1st Marathon 2:24:25
2016 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 9th Marathon 2:28:30
New York Marathon New York, NY, United States 1st Marathon 2:24:26
2017 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 1st Marathon 2:17:01 WRwo
New York Marathon New York, NY, United States 2nd Marathon 2:27:54
2018 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 5th Marathon 2:24:27
New York Marathon New York, NY, United States 1st Marathon 2:22:48
2019 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 5th Marathon 2:20:58
New York Marathon New York, NY, United States 2nd Marathon 2:23:32
Road races
2006 Seville Half Marathon Seville, Spain 1st Half marathon 1:09:06
São Silvestre Olivais 10K Lisbon, Portugal 1st 10 km 33:06
2007 Almeria Half Marathon Almeria, Spain 1st Half marathon 1:13:02
Ivry-sur-Seine Humarathon Paris, France 1st Half marathon 1:08:36
Puy-en-Velay 15K Puy-en-Velay, France 1st 15 km 50:10
Lille Half Marathon Lille, France 1st Half marathon 1:08:43
2009 Lille Half Marathon Lille, France 1st Half marathon 1:07:00
Delhi Half Marathon New Delhi, India 1st Half marathon 1:06:54
2011 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates 1st Half marathon 1:05:50 WR
2016 Beach to Beacon 10K Cape Elizabeth, ME, United States 1st 10 km 30:45 CR
2017 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates 2nd Half marathon 1:05:13
Beach to Beacon 10K Cape Elizabeth, ME, United States 1st 10 km 30:41 CR
2018 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates 2nd Half marathon 1:04:55

World Marathon Majors results

World Marathon Majors 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Tokyo Marathon - - - - - - - - -
Boston Marathon - - - - - - - - -
London Marathon - 1st 1st - - 2nd 9th 1st 5th 5th
Berlin Marathon - - - - - - - - -
Chicago Marathon - - - - - - - - -
New York Marathon 3rd 3rd - - 1st 1st 1st 2nd 1st 2nd

Personal bests

Distance Time Date City Notes
1500 metres 4:29.7 13 June 2003 Nairobi, Kenya
5000 metres 16:29.4h 29 June 2006 Nairobi, Kenya
10,000 metres 32:18.07 17 May 2007 Utrecht, Netherlands
10 km 30:41 5 August 2017 Cape Elizabeth, ME, United States
15 km 50:10 1 May 2007 Le Puy-en-Velay, France
Half marathon 1:04:55 9 February 2018 Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
25 km 1:19:53 9 May 2010 Berlin, Germany World best
30 km 1:39:11 17 April 2011 London, United Kingdom
Marathon 2:17:01 23 April 2017 London, United Kingdom Wo World record

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Mary Keitany para niños

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