James Kwambai

James Kipsang Kwambai (born February 28, 1983) is a runner from Kenya, who specialises in marathons. He is a former Kenyan record holder in the event, with his personal best of 2:04:27 hours in 2009. At the time this made him the second fastest runner ever, behind Haile Gebrselassie.[1]

Kipsang Kwambai at the 2008 Berlin Marathon

Biography

Kwambai went to the Kondabilet Primary School in Marakwet East District, but dropped out at standard seven.[2]

He won the Marseille-Cassis Classique Internationale in 2002, breaking the course record by over a minute.[3] In 2006 Kwambai won the Brescia Marathon and Beijing Marathon, which were his first two marathons.[4] He also won the 2008 and the 2009 Saint Silvester Road Race.

He finished second at the 2008 Berlin Marathon, where Haile Gebrselassie set a new marathon world record. Kwambai's time was 2:05:36, that made him the seventh fastest ever marathon runner at the time.[5] At the 2009 Rotterdam Marathon Kwambai again finished second (behind Duncan Kibet) in a time of 2:04:27, the third fastest ever marathon at the time.[6] At the 2010 New York City Marathon he completed the race in 2:11:31, which brought him fifth place.[7] He returned to defend his title at the Saint Silvester race in São Paulo but ended up in third place behind Marílson dos Santos and Barnabas Kosgei.[8]

His first race of 2011 was the CPC Loop Den Haag, but he was off the winning pace and came sixth in a time of one hour and one second.[9] He was among the leaders at the 2011 London Marathon by the 30 km mark, but dropped out of the race.[10] In August he came second at the Rio de Janeiro Half Marathon, but was eighth at the Udine Half Marathon the following month, finishing well off his best in 1:02:06 hours. His season peaked in November when he took the title at the JoongAng Seoul Marathon in a time of 2:08:50 hours, despite rainy conditions.[11] He took on the city's other major race, the Seoul International Marathon, in March 2012 and ran his best race in three years, finishing in 2:06:03 hours to take second behind Wilson Loyanae.[12] In November he competed at the 2012 JoongAng Seoul Marathon, won it convincingly and broke the course record by 2:23 minutes, with a time of 2:05:50 hours.[13]

He was among the fastest entrants at the 2013 Tokyo Marathon, but came fifth a minute and a half behind winner Dennis Kimetto.[14] He was back in form in Seoul in November as he won in 2:06:25 hours for third straight victory at the race (the first person ever to do so).[15] He ran at the city's other major race, the Seoul International Marathon, in March 2014 but his time of 2:07:38 was only enough for sixth place in a quick race.[16]

Kwambai prefers road running over track and cross-country. His training partners include Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Martin Lel, Sammy Korir and Fred Kiprop in Eldoret and Italy. Kwambai has been coached by Gabriele Rosa and Claudio Berardelli.[17][18]

Achievements
  • All results regarding marathon and half marathon
YearCompetitionVenuePositionNotes
2003 San Blas Half Marathon Coamo, Puerto Rico 2nd 1:03:29
Berlin Half Marathon Berlin, Germany 3rd 1:01:56
2004 Eldoret Half Marathon Eldoret, Kenya 3rd 1:01:43
San Blas Half Marathon Coamo, Puerto Rico 2nd 1:03:18
Udine Half Marathon Udine, Italy 1st 1:00:22
2005 Bogota Half Marathon Bogotá, Colombia 1st 1:03:10
Virginia Beach Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon Virginia Beach, VA 2nd 1:01:05
Rome-Ostia Half Marathon Rome, Italy 1st 1:00:45
2006 Virginia Beach Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon Virginia Beach, VA 1st 1:00:57
Bogota Half Marathon Bogotá, Colombia 2nd 1:03:05
Brescia Marathon Brescia, Italy 1st 2:10:20
Beijing Marathon Beijing, China 1st 2:10:36
2007 Boston Marathon Boston, United States 2nd 2:14:33
New York City Half Marathon New York City 4th 1:01:03
New York City Marathon New York City 5th 2:12:25
2008 Virginia Beach Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon Virginia Beach, VA 1st 1:01:05
Rome-Ostia Half Marathon Rome, Italy 2nd 1:00:22
Berlin Marathon Berlin, Germany 2nd 2:05:36
2009 Rotterdam Half Marathon Rotterdam, Netherlands 3rd 59:09
Rotterdam Marathon Rotterdam, Netherlands 2nd 2:04:27
2010 New York City Marathon New York City 5th 2:11:31
2011 CPC Loop Den Haag The Hague, Netherlands 6th 1:00:01
JoongAng Seoul Marathon Seoul, South Korea 1st 2:08:50
2012 Seoul International Marathon Seoul, South Korea 2nd 2:06:03
JoongAng Seoul Marathon Seoul, South Korea 1st 2:05:50
2013 Tokyo Marathon Tokyo, Japan 5th 2:08:02
JoongAng Seoul Marathon Seoul, South Korea 1st 2:06:25
2014 Seoul International Marathon Seoul, South Korea 6th 2:07:38
JoongAng Seoul Marathon Seoul, South Korea 9th 2:11:31
2015 JoongAng Seoul Marathon Seoul, South Korea 4th 2:09:23
2016 Daegu Marathon Daegu, South Korea 1st 2:10:46
2017 Lanzhou Marathon Lanzhou, China 8th 2:17:45

References
  1. "Kwambai secures hat-013".
  2. "Nearly man Kwambai is back". Daily Nation. 26 October 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  3. Historique Il était une fois … (in French). Marseille-Cassis. Retrieved on 24 April 2016.
  4. "Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot aiming at fourth consecutive Boston marathon title". IAAF. 28 February 2008. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  5. Wenig, Jorg (28 September 2008). "Haile breaks 2:04 barrier, Mikitenko under 2:20 in Berlin - UPDATED". IAAF. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  6. "Kibet edges Kwambai as both clock 2:04:27 - Rotterdam Marathon". IAAF. 5 April 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  7. Dunaway, James (7 November 2010). "Gebremariam and Kiplagat cruise to New York victories". IAAF. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  8. Biscayart, Eduardo (1 January 2011). "Dos Santos and Timbilil cruise to Sao Paulo wins". IAAF. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  9. van Hemert, Wim (14 March 2011). "Desisa and Chepcirchir take fast Half Marathon wins in The Hague". IAAF. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  10. Brown, Matthew (17 April 2011). "Mutai and Keitany dominate and dazzle in London". IAAF. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  11. Yelena Kurdyumova and Sergey Porada (6 June 2011). "Kwambai beats the rain and chill in Seoul". IAAF. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  12. Yelena Kurdyumova and Sergey Porada (18 March 2012). "Loyanae cruises 2:05:37 to shatter course record in Seoul". IAAF. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  13. Yelena Kurdyumova and Sergey Porada (4 November 2012). "Kwambai defends, clocks 2:05:50 course record in Seoul". IAAF. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  14. Nakamura, Ken (24 February 2013). "Kimetto clocks course record 2:06:50 at Tokyo Marathon". IAAF. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  15. "Kwambai secures hat-trick in Seoul". IAAF. 3 November 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  16. Minshull, Phil (16 March 2014). "Jarso smashes personal best with 2:06:17 to win in Seoul". IAAF. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  17. "Kwambai and Console run fast Half Marathons in Rome". IAAF. 28 February 2005. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  18. "Women's course record goes at Rome-Ostia Half Marathon with 1:09 run". IAAF. 28 February 2008. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
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