ALL INFORMATION BY IAAF & WIKIPEDIABernard Kiprop Kipyego (born 16 July 1986 in Keiyo District) is a Kenyan long-distance runner.
At the 2007 World Cross Country Championships he won the bronze medal in the senior race, while the Kenyan team of which he was a part won the team competition. In 2008 he finished tenth individually, and won another team gold medal.
Kipyego won the 10-mile Great South Run competition, taking the title with a time of 46:42. He won the 2009 Berlin Half Marathon by timing 59:34, and was third at the World 10K Bangalore that year.[1] It was his debut half marathon.
He competed at the 2009 World Championships, finishing 5th in the 10,000 metres race. He won the silver medal at the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships. Kipyego made his marathon debut in 2010 at the Rotterdam Marathon and finished fifth in a time of 2:07:01. He was runner-up at the Lille Half Marathon in September, losing out on the title to Wilson Kiprop by one second.
Personal bests
3000 metres - 7:50.57 min (2006)
5000 metres - 13:09.96 min (2005)
10,000 metres - 26:59.61 min (2007)
Half marathon - 59.10 min (2009)
Marathon - 2:07:01 (2010)
| Sex | Weight | Height | Date of Birth | Place of birth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M | 16/07/1986 | Keiyo |
| Personal Best - Outdoor | ||||
| Performance | Wind | Place | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3000 Metres | 7:50.57 | Liège (NX) | 19/07/2006 | |
| 5000 Metres | 13:09.96 | Oslo | 29/07/2005 | |
| 10,000 Metres | 26:59.61 | Bruxelles | 14/09/2007 | |
| 10 Kilometres | 27:44 | Rotterdam | 13/09/2009 | |
| 15 Kilometres | 41:54 | Rotterdam | 13/09/2009 | |
| 20 Kilometres | 56:47 | Birmingham, GBR | 11/10/2009 | |
| Half Marathon | 59:10 | Rotterdam | 13/09/2009 | |
| 25 Kilometres | 1:13:54 | Rotterdam | 11/04/2010 | |
| 30 Kilometres | 1:28:58 | Rotterdam | 11/04/2010 | |
| Marathon | 2:07:01 | Rotterdam | 11/04/2010 | |
| Progression - Outdoor | |||||
| Season | Performance | Wind | Place | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3000 Metres | 2006 | 7:50.57 | Liège (NX) | 19/07/2006 | |
| 2004 | 7:54.91 | Madrid | 17/07/2004 | ||
| 5000 Metres | 2008 | 13:30.40 | Berlin | 01/06/2008 | |
| 2007 | 13:13.40 | Nobeoka | 26/05/2007 | ||
| 2006 | 13:20.78 | Heusden-Zolder | 22/07/2006 | ||
| 2005 | 13:09.96 | Oslo | 29/07/2005 | ||
| 2004 | 13:24.27 | Nijmegen | 22/05/2004 | ||
| 10,000 Metres | 2009 | 27:18.47 | Berlin | 17/08/2009 | |
| 2008 | 27:08.06 | Bruxelles | 05/09/2008 | ||
| 2007 | 26:59.61 | Bruxelles | 14/09/2007 | ||
| 2006 | 27:19.45 | Hengelo | 28/05/2006 | ||
| 2005 | 27:04.45 | Hengelo | 29/05/2005 | ||
| 2004 | 28:18.94 | Bruxelles | 03/09/2004 | ||
| 10 Kilometres | 2009 | 27:44 | Rotterdam | 13/09/2009 | |
| 2008 | 28:34 | Zaandam | 21/09/2008 | ||
| 15 Kilometres | 2010 | 42:57 | Den Haag | 14/03/2010 | |
| 2009 | 41:54 | Rotterdam | 13/09/2009 | ||
| 2008 | 42:54 | Zaandam | 21/09/2008 | ||
| 2007 | 43:16 | Zaandam | 23/09/2007 | ||
| 2006 | 42:44 | Nijmegen | 19/11/2006 | ||
| 2005 | 43:26 | Nijmegen | 20/11/2005 | ||
| 2004 | 43:23 | Nijmegen | 21/11/2004 | ||
| 20 Kilometres | 2010 | 58:39 | Rotterdam | 11/04/2010 | |
| 2009 | 56:47 | Birmingham, GBR | 11/10/2009 | ||
| Half Marathon | 2010 | 59:40 | Lille | 04/09/2010 | |
| 2009 | 59:10 | Rotterdam | 13/09/2009 | ||
| 25 Kilometres | 2010 | 1:13:54 | Rotterdam | 11/04/2010 | |
| 30 Kilometres | 2010 | 1:28:58 | Rotterdam | 11/04/2010 | |
| Marathon | 2010 | 2:07:01 | Rotterdam | 11/04/2010 | |
| Honours | |||||||
| Rank | Performance | Wind | Place | Date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5000 Metres | |||||||
| 6th IAAF/VTB Bank World Athletics Final | 9 | f | 13:41.43 | Stuttgart | 14/09/2008 | ||
| 10,000 Metres | |||||||
| 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics | 5 | f | 27:18.47 | Berlin | 17/08/2009 | ||
| Half Marathon | |||||||
| IAAF/EDF Energy World Half Marathon Championships 2009 | 2 | f | 59:59 | Birmingham | 11/10/2009 | ||
| Senior Race | |||||||
| 36th IAAF World Cross Country Championships | 10 | f | 35:24 | Edinburgh | 30/03/2008 | ||
| 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships | 3 | f | 36:37 | Mombasa | 24/03/2007 | ||
| Junior Race | |||||||
| 33rd IAAF World Cross Country Championships | 2 | f | 24:00 | St Etienne - St Galmier | 20/03/2005 | ||
As of this morning, Kenya has yet another world-class Half Marathon runner: Bernard Kipyego, the 22-year-old who took the Vattenfall Berlin Half Marathon. Germany’s Sabrina Mockenhaupt won the women’s race with a personal best of 1:08:45.
Running his debut at the distance he clocked a superb 59:34, which is one of the fastest debuts ever over the distance. In another demonstration of Kenyan talent on the Berlin roads, runners from east Africa took the first ten places with three others dipping under one hour times. It was the eighth time in a row that a Kenyan won the men’s contest.
In a dramatic sprint finish Sammy Kosgei took second in 59:36, edging Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich who was third in 59:38. Samuel Gichochi Mwangi was fourth with 59:55. It was the first time that four runners clocked sub-60 minute times in the history of the event.
Conditions were ideal with 13° Centigrade, no rain and only a light breeze to disturb the elite runners. A high-class and thrilling men’s race developed with Kenyan athletes in full control right from the start. A big group of runners passed the 10k point in 28:18. There was no way further for one of the favourites at this point however. Samuel Karanja Karuku (Kenya), who had won Berlin’s 25 k race in 2008, suffered from stomach problems and dropped out.
After that a number of runners lost contact with the lead group, but it was not before the 18k mark that there was a major move at the front. At that point Kipyego, Kosgei and Kiprotich left behind their rivals. Though they ran the remaining kilometres at a 2:45 minute pace, none of the three fell off the pace. Thousands of spectators witnessed a fascinating sprint finish similar to a middle distance race on the track on the long home straight at the Berlin town hall Rotes Rathaus.
Kipyego’s 59:34 is the fifth fastest time of the year so far. He was two seconds ahead of Sammy Kosgei, who had come to Berlin with a personal best of 1:02:54.
Kipyego was ranked among the favourites before the race, even though he had never run a Half Marathon before. Two years ago he achieved an impressive third place at the World Cross Country Championships. In the same year of 2007 he ran a World-class time of 26:59.61 for 10,000m on the track.
“Before the race I thought my chances of winning were 50-50, but my confidence grew as the race went on,” said Kipyego, who hopes his success in Berlin will be rewarded with a place in the Kenyan squad for the World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham in October. “On the final part of the race the spectators motivated me a lot.”
During the summer season he will run the 10,000m and then he might run the Great North Half Marathon in September. “Maybe next year I will try the Marathon,” said Kipyego, whose next race will be a 10k in Edinburgh on 3 May.
Commanding victory for Mockenhaupt
Mockenhaupt prevailed in the women’s race with a personal best of 1:08:45, ahead of Kenyans Hellen Kimutai (1:09:27) and Lydia Njeri (1:10:08).
“The course is really fast, but especially in the first part of the race the wind was disturbing me,” said Mockenhaupt, who ran slightly slower than planned in the first part of the race. When she reached the 10Km point in 32:50 there were still two rivals right behind her: Kimutai and Njeri.
“I did not expect that they would be with me for so long, so I was getting nervous. Maybe I am lacking a bit of routine. But I really wanted to win this race,” Mockenhaupt added.
It was shortly before the 15Km point when she finally broke away and then continually increased her lead. At the end Mockenhaupt had improved her personal best by six seconds and established a national season’s lead.
“Lying in bed yesterday evening I thought that running a personal best will not be an easy target. 1:08:51 was not bad,” said the 28 year-old winner, who intends to qualify for the World Championships in Berlin at 10,000m. “After this race today I have no worries regarding the qualification time of 31:45. I am well on my way.”
21,725 runners from 85 countries entered the 29th edition of the race. A record number of 17,888 athletes finished. 170,000 spectators lined the streets in the city centre.
Jörg Wenig (With assistance by Andy Edwards) for the IAAF
Leading Results -
Men:
1. Bernard Kipyego KEN 59:34
2. Sammy Kosgei KEN 59:36
3. Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich KEN 59:38
4. Samuel Gichochi Mwangi KEN 59:55
5. Joseph Kiptoo KEN 60:13
6. Wilson Kiprop KEN 60:34
7. Peter Kamais KEN 60:35
8. Josphat Kamzee KEN 60:43
9. Evans Barkokwet KEN 60:51
10. Edwin Kimaiyo KEN 61:04
11. Tadese Abraham ERI 61:25
12. Gilbert Yegon KEN 61:26
13. Willy Mwangi Kariku KEN 61:27
14. Patrick Ivuti KEN 61:45
Women:
1. Sabrina Mockenhaupt GER 68:45
2. Hellen Kimutai KEN 69:27
3. Lydia Njeri KEN 70:08
4. Alice Mogire KEN 72:17
5. Selina Chelimo KEN 73:21
Focus on Athletes - Bernard Kiprop KIPYEGO
Bernard Kiprop KIPYEGO, Kenya
(3000m, 5000m, 10,000m, cross country)
Born 16 July, 1986, Kapkitony Village, Keiyo District.
Height: 170cm (5'7"); weight: 50.36kg
Manager: Jos Hermens
Camp: Kaptagat
Married to Esilyne, he has a one-and-a-half year-old daughter named Sandra.
Quiet, unassuming, and mature beyond his 21 years, Bernard Kiprop Kipyego is one of the country's new generation of stars, having already represented Kenya with distinction in previous editions of the World Cross Country Championships. An athlete who seems to rise to the occasion after slipping into the squad almost unnoticed, he tends to put in sterling performances when it matters.
Kipyego won the individual silver medal in the junior race at the 2005 World Cross Country in St-Etienne/St-Galmier, France, and the senior bronze medal in Mombasa last year. On both occasions he returned home with a team gold medal.
The second in a family of eight, his name means 'born when it was raining' in his Kalenjin tribe and he attended Kogibor Primary School, where he completed his formative education in 2000. While in Kogibor he used to run as a hobby, while competing in 5000m and 10,000m races, occasionally reaching provincial level.
Unable to continue with his education after finishing primary school, Kipyego stayed out for a year before staring serious training in 2002, inspired by 2003 Rotterdam Marathon and 2005 Seoul Marathon winner William Kiplagat. "Kiplagat had a big role in my starting to take athletics seriously as he was very popular in our area because of his exploits,” Kipyego said.
Spurred by this, Kipyego moved to Chepkorio in 2002, where Global Sports was based, and rented a house nearby. "I moved to Chepkorio, where Global Sports athletes used to train, and I would join them for training every day," he said. A few months later, he did an interview with the camp and, after winning a race organised from Toronmgo to Kamusur, to select athletes, he was signed up. "I was so excited because I had achieved the first part of my goal and I knew that, with hard work, I would make it to the next level,” he said.
In May 2003, he qualified for the 2003 Africa Junior Championships, in Cameroon, after finishing third at the National Trials at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, Nairobi. Representing his country for the first time, Kipyego ran a gallant race in Yaoundé to win bronze in the boys' 10,000m (29:29.09).
In 2004, Kipyego came close to making the national team for the World Cross Country Championships, in Brussels, finishing 10th in the National Championships 8km junior race. A month later, he came in seventh at the trials, held at Ngong racecourse, Nairobi, and was included as a reserve in the team. He travelled to Kigari to traine with the junior team but was left out of the final squad.
Kipyego shrugged off the disappointment by winning the 10,000m (28:46.7) at a track meeting in Eldoret in May. Later that month, he travelled to The Netherlands for his first race abroad, placing fourth in the 5,000m in Nijmegen (13:24.27).
In the Kenyan track trials for the World Junior Championships in Grosseto, Italy, Kipyego again fell short of his goal. Moses Masai and Hosea Macharinyang proved too strong for the then 18-year-old and he finished third (28:29.0)
Kipyego started 2005 determined to finally break through to the national cross country team and succeeded by finish 6th in the trials for the World Cross Country Championships in St-Etienne/St-Galmier. There he stunned everyone by winning silver behind Augustine Choge as Kenya claimed the first four positions to score a perfect 10 and win the junior team title.
Turning his attentions to the track, Kipyego improved his 10,000m PB by clocking an impressive 27:04.45 in Hengelo in May. But, in the trials in Nairobi for the World Championships in Helsinki, he could manage only 10th (28:18.0). His next stop was London, where he came third in the 5,000m at the Norwich Union meet (13:12.47) A week later, he improved his time to 13:09.96 at the Bislett Games, in Oslo, where he finished fifth.
Failing to make the Kenya team for the 2006 World Cross Country Championships in Fukuoka – he finished 19th in the trials – Kipyego returned to Hengelo in May, finishing fourth in his favourite event, the 10,000m (27:19.45). Back in Kenya for the National Championships held in July, he again struggled, placing a distant ninth (28:39.4). The remainder of his track season was unremarkable.
Kipyego began 2007 with a burning mission - to get into the national cross country team and, like most top athletes who missed the National Cross Country Championships in Mombasa, Kiprop gave the dress rehearsal for the Mombasa World Cross a miss to concentrate on the trials. Finishing 4th, he booked his place for the World Cross and, with Kenya hosting the championships, every athlete had added pressure to perform.
Kipyego let nobody down. The 20-year-old ran a brilliant race in the senior ranks, braving the scorching sun and cheered on by thousands who flocked to the venue, to take his individual bronze and team gold. On the track the following summer, he dipped under 27 minutes for the first time at 10,000m (26:59.61) in taking 4th place at the Ivo Van Damme Memorial, in Brussels. "My manager had encouraged me to run under 27 minutes to show capabilities and I trained so hard just to make it happen," he said.
Kipyego began 2008 with a second place finish, behind compatriot Leonard Patrick Komon, at the Elgoibar Cross Country in Spain on 13 January. Seven days later, Kipyego battled hard with Komon before finishing fourth at the Seville Cross Country.
The post election crisis in the country saw several cross-country meets cancelled and Kiprop was among 40 athletes given a wild card to compete at the National Cross Country Championships cum trials in Nairobi on 1 March. Exercising patience, he ran with the pack before injecting a last lap push to finish fifth and slip into the team almost unnoticed - similar to the previous two occasions he had made the team.
Speaking in Kigari, Embu, at the team's training camp, Kipyego said he was confident of improving on his 2007 showing. "This will be my second time in the seniors and I go in with even more experience so I am confident of maybe bettering my performance,” he said. Based on his past two showings at World Cross, few would bet against him.
Personal Bests
5000m: 13:09.96 (2005)
10,000m: 26:59.61 (2007)
Yearly Progression
5000m: 2004 – 13:24.27; 2005 – 13:09.96; 2006 – 13:20.78; 2007 – 13:13.40
10,000m: 2004 - 28:18.94; 2005 - 27:04.45; 2006 – 27:19.45; 2007 – 26:59.61
Career Highlights
2003 – 3rd, Africa Junior Championships, 10,000m
2005 – 2nd, World Cross Country Championships (junior)
2007 – 3rd, World Cross Country Championships
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