Rita Jeptoo

Rita Jeptoo Sitienei (born 15 February 1981 in Eldoret) is a Kenyan marathon runner. She won the 2006 Boston Marathon, setting her personal best of 2:23:38 hours. She has also won marathons in Stockholm and Milan, as well as having represented Kenya in the event at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics. She was the bronze medallist at the 2006 IAAF World Road Running Championships.

Contents

Career

Jeptoo won the 2004 Stockholm Marathon, her first marathon race,[1] and then took a consecutive victory at the Milan Marathon.[2] She finished third in the 2005 Turin Marathon and seventh at the 2005 World Championships.[3] The next year she competed over shorter distances, taking the title at the Paris Half Marathon and winning the bronze medal at the 2006 World Road Running Championships.

Her personal best time of 2:23:38 hours came at the 2006 Boston Marathon, where she defeated all comers to win the prestigious race. She was fourth at the New York City Marathon that same year. In 2007, she finished fourth in Boston, attempting to defend her title, and was quoted as saying, "I never felt good in the cold. I couldn't get my body in a rhythm."[4] She won the Lisbon Half Marathon and Paris Half Marathon that year,[5] later going on to take seventh place in the marathon at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics. She ended her 2007 with a new course record at the Obudu Ranch International Mountain Race, earning US$50,000 as a result.[6]

She won the Portugal Half Marathon in 2008. She was among the leading runners at the Boston and New York marathons that season, finishing third and fourth respectively.[7] She took time off from running for maternity leave from late 2008 onwards, returning to competition in 2011.[8] The Rotterdam Marathon was her return marathon outing and she came fifth with a time of 2:28:09 hours.[9]

She is married to Noah Busienei, a middle distance runner.[10]

Achievements

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing  Kenya
2004 Stockholm Marathon Stockholm, Sweden 1st Marathon 2:35:14
Milan Marathon Milan, Italy 1st Marathon 2:28:11
2005 World Championships Helsinki, Finland 7th Marathon 2:24:22
2006 Paris Half Marathon Paris, France 1st Half marathon 1:09:56
Boston Marathon Boston, United States 1st Marathon 2:23:38
2007 Lisbon Half Marathon Lisbon, Portugal 1st Half marathon 1:07:05

References

  1. ^ Stockholm Marathon History 2004-2006 accessed August 10 2007
  2. ^ Milan City Marathon 2004 accessed August 10 2007
  3. ^ Turin Marathon History accessed August 10 2007
  4. ^ Runner's World article by Toby Tanser - Russian Woman wins Boston accessed August 10 2007
  5. ^ Paris Half Marathon - List of Winners
  6. ^ Hughes, Danny (2007-11-24). Jeptoo, Awash cruise to Obudu Mountain victories. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-12-05.
  7. ^ Jeptoo Sitienei Rita. Marathon Info. Retrieved on 2011-04-16.
  8. ^ Mutuota, Mutwiri (2011-02-05). Mwangi and Lisoreng take Police XC titles. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-04-16.
  9. ^ van Hemert, Wim (2011-04-10). Chebet impresses with 2:05:27 victory in Rotterdam. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-04-16.
  10. ^ Boston Marathon Runner Profile - Rita Jeptoo accessed August 10 2007

External links