Ismael Kirui

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Ismael Kirui (born February 20, 1975 in Marakwet) is a former Kenyan long distance runner who won gold medals over 5000 metres at the 1993 and the 1995 World Championships in Athletics. His victory in Stuttgart in 1993 was especially impressive as he was only aged eighteen and led the race from the front for most of the second half. On the final straight he shrugged off an attack from Haile Gebreselassie. His winning time of 13:02.75 min was a new World Championships record. His gold medal in 1995 was won under very different circumstances as the final was run at a slow pace and decided in a sprint.