Ezekiel Kemboi

Ezekiel Kemboi

Kemboi on the 2013 World Championships in Athletics
Medal record
Men’s athletics
Competitor for  Kenya
Olympic Games
Gold	2004 Athens	3000 m st.
Gold	2012 London	3000 m st.
World Championships
Gold	2009 Berlin	3000 m st.
Gold	2011 Daegu	3000 m st.
Gold	2013 Moscow	3000 m st.
Silver	2003 Paris	3000 m st.
Silver	2005 Helsinki	3000 m st.
Silver	2007 Osaka	3000 m st.
Commonwealth Games
Gold	2006 Melbourne	3000 m st.
Silver	2002 Manchester	3000 m st.
Silver	2010 Delhi	3000 m st.

Ezekiel Kemboi Cheboi (born May 25, 1982) is a Kenyan athlete, winner of the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2009 World Championships, the 2011 World Championships, the 2012 Summer Olympics, and the 2013 World Championships. His 3000 m steeplechase best of 7:55.76 places him as the sixth fastest of all time.^[1] He is one of only three men to have won both Olympic and World golds in the event, along with Reuben Kosgei and Brimin Kipruto.

Biography

Born in Matira, near Kapsowar, Marakwet District. Kemboi graduated from Kapsowar Boys Secondary School in 1999. He did not take up athletics until after he left school, but was spotted by Paul Ereng and won the African Junior Championships in 2001 despite falling.^[2]

Kemboi became African Junior Champion in 2001 and then in 2002, he finished second at the Commonwealth Games behind compatriot Stephen Cherono. The same year Kemboi was originally fourth at the African Championships in Athletics, but was later awarded bronze after the winner Moroccan Brahim Boulami received a doping suspension.

At the 2003 World Championships, Kemboi had a grueling battle with former teammate Saif Saeed Shaheen (formerly Stephen Cherono) who represented his new country Qatar, before Shaheen pulled away from the exhausted Kemboi to win by less than a second. Kemboi won the gold medal at the 2003 All-Africa Games.

In absence of Shaheen – The Kenyan Olympic Committee refused to waive the three-year eligibility delay for established athletes who switch nationalities – Kemboi rose to a main favourite status at the Athens Olympics. The race went very much according to form, with the three Kenyans Kemboi, Brimin Kipruto and Paul Kipsiele Koech pushing the pace from the second lap and soon leaving the rest of the field behind and Kemboi winning a gold medal 0.3 seconds ahead of Kipruto.

In August 2005 he won a silver medal at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics, and in March 2006 he won the 2006 Commonwealth Games. He finished second at the 2006 African Championships in Athletics, but was disqualified for improper hurdling.^[2]

Kemboi represented Kenya at the 2008 Beijing Olympics but managed only seventh – his worst performance on the global stage. He rebounded with a win at the 2009 World Championships (his first world gold medal) and took silver at the 2010 African Championships the following year.

He took to the road races of Italy in August 2010, beating Peter Kimeli to the tape to win the Corribianco race in Bianco,^[3] then taking the honours at the 8.5-kilometre Amatrice-Configno.^[4]

He won the gold medal at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, South Korea.

Kemboi won the gold medal for Kenya in the 3000m Steeplechase in London 2012.^[5][6] Kemboi won in a time of eight minutes 18.56 seconds.^[7]

Personal Life

Kemboi is managed by Enrico Dionisi. Since 2002 he has owned a 50-acre (200,000 m²) farm near Moi's Bridge, Trans-Nzoia District.^[2] He is married to Jane Kemboi with two sons. Since 2009 he has been coached by Moses Kiptanui, who is also his neighbour ^[8]

His participation in the 2012 Olympics was initially put in doubt when he was charged with assault in June 2012, after a woman claimed he stabbed her after she refused his sexual advances. ^[9]

Achievements

References

Wikinews has related news: African Olympians and Paralympians prepare for their London odyssey

External links

• Ezekiel Kemboi profile at IAAF
• Media related to Ezekiel Kemboi at Wikimedia Commons