SW

Samuel Kamau Wanjiru

Photo: FaceMePLS from The Hague, The Netherlands—CC BY 2.0

Samuel Kamau Wanjiru

KENMen

Birth dateNov 10, 1986

BirthplaceNyahururu, Kenya

Height1.63 m

Weight51 kg

Samuel Kamau Wanjirū (10 November 1986 – 15 May 2011) was a Kenyan long-distance runner who won the 2008 Beijing Olympics Marathon in an Olympic record time of 2:06:32; becoming the first Kenyan to win the Olympic gold in the marathon. He became the youngest gold medallist in the marathon since 1932.

He set the current (as of 2020) 10,000m World Junior Record in 2005 and set the half marathon world record 3 times. In 2009, he won both the London Marathon and Chicago Marathon, running the fastest marathons ever recorded in the United Kingdom and United States, respectively.

He retained his Chicago title in 2010 in a season fraught with injury. In 2011, he died after a fall from a balcony at his home in Nyahururu following a domestic dispute.

Key facts

10 000 m

26:41.75

Half Marathon

58:33

2010 season best

1:01:33

Feb 28, 2010 · New Orleans, LA (USA)

2010 season best

Last competition

Chicago Marathon

Oct 10, 2010 · 2:06:24

Chicago Marathon

Medals

Olympic Games: 1 gold

Age

39 years old

As of Sep 16, 2026: 10 000 m 26:41.75 (#21 all-time), Half Marathon 58:33 (#19 all-time), 2010 season best 1:01:33 (Feb 28, 2010, New Orleans, LA (USA)) · Last competition: Chicago Marathon, Oct 10, 2010, 2:06:24 · Olympic Games: 1 gold · 39 years old

PB

Personal bests

3:50.28

13:12.40

26:41.75

58:33

2:05:10

44:20

28:09

45:10

🏅

Medals

	🥇	🥈	🥉	Total
Olympic Games	1	-	-	1

Performance Charts

Season bests

Season	Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Trend	Competitions
2010	Semi	1:01:33	-	Feb 28, 2010	↓	New Orleans, LA (USA)
2010	Marathon	2:06:24	-	Oct 10, 2010	↑	Chicago Marathon
2009	15Kilometr	44:20	-	Nov 29, 2009	-	Melbourne (AUS)
2009	Semi	1:01:08	-	Sep 13, 2009	↓	Rotterdam Half Marathon
2009	Marathon	2:05:10	-	Apr 26, 2009	↑	London Marathon
2008	10000m	28:02.41	-	Jun 1, 2008	↑	Niigata (JPN)
2008	10Kilometr	29:09	-	Sep 27, 2008	↓	Scicli (ITA)
2008	Semi	59:26	-	Feb 3, 2008	↓	Granollers (ESP)
2008	Marathon	2:05:24	-	Apr 13, 2008	↑	London Marathon
2007	5000m	13:18.25	-	May 26, 2007	↑	Nobeoka (JPN)
2007	10000m	27:20.99	-	Jun 17, 2007	↑	Shibetsu (JPN)
2007	Semi	1:03:31	-	Oct 14, 2007	↓	Udine IAAF World Road Running Championships
2007	Marathon	2:06:39	-	Dec 2, 2007	↑	Fukuoka (JPN)
2006	10Kilometr	28:09	-	Feb 26, 2006	↓	San Juan (PUR)
2006	Semi	59:37	-	Mar 26, 2006	↓	Sapporo (JPN)
2005	5000m	13:12.40	-	Apr 29, 2005	↑	Hiroshima (JPN)
2005	10000m	26:41.75	-	Aug 26, 2005	↑	Bruxelles Memorial Van Damme
2005	10MilesRoa	45:10	-	Dec 11, 2005	-	Kosa (JPN)
2005	Semi	59:16	-	Sep 11, 2005	↓	Rotterdam (NED)
2004	5000m	13:47.22	-	Aug 5, 2004	↑	Hamayama (JPN)
2004	10000m	28:00.14	-	Apr 24, 2004	↑	Kobe (JPN)
2003	1500m	3:50.28	-	Jul 30, 2003	-	Nagasaki (JPN)
2003	5000m	13:38.98	-	Aug 1, 2003	↑	Nagasaki (JPN)
2002	5000m	13:44.80	-	Aug 5, 2002	↑	Naka (JPN)
2002	10000m	28:36.08	-	Sep 28, 2002	↑	Konosu (JPN)

2010

2 performances

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
Marathon	2:06:24	-	Oct 10	Chicago Marathon
Semi	1:01:33	-	Feb 28	New Orleans Rock 'n' Roll Mardi Gras Half-Marathon, New Orleans, LA

2009

6 performances

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
15Kilometr	44:20	-	Nov 29	Melbourne Great Australian Run, Melbourne
Marathon	2:05:41	-	Oct 11	Chicago Marathon
Semi	1:01:08	-	Sep 13	Rotterdam Half Marathon
Marathon	2:05:10	-	Apr 26	London Marathon
Semi	1:01:25	-	Mar 22	Lisboa Meia Maratona de Lisboa
Semi	1:01:13	-	Feb 1	Granollers Half Marathon, Granollers

2008

8 performances

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
10Kilometr	29:09	-	Sep 27	Scicli Memorial Peppe Greco, Scicli
Semi	1:01:24	-	Sep 21	Porto Half Marathon, Porto
Marathon	2:06:32	-	Aug 24	The XXIX Olympic Games, National Stadium, Beijing
Marathon	2:06:32	-	Aug 15	The XXIX Olympic Games, National Stadium, Beijing
10000m	28:02.41	-	Jun 1	Niigata
Marathon	2:05:24	-	Apr 13	London Marathon
Semi	1:00:33	-	Mar 1	Abu Dhabi Shekih Zayed Half Marathon, Abu Dhabi
Semi	59:26	-	Feb 3	Granollers Half Marathon de Granollers, Granollers

2007

14 performances

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
Marathon	2:06:39	-	Dec 2	Fukuoka International Marathon, Fukuoka
5000m	13:54.04	-	Nov 10	Kita-Kyushu
Semi	1:03:31	-	Oct 14	Udine IAAF World Road Running Championships
Semi	1:00:18	-	Sep 30	South Shields BUPA Great North Run, South Shields
10000m	28:23.0HT	-	Jul 28	Nairobi Kenyan World Ch. Trials, Nairobi
5000m	13:36.60	-	Jul 13	Roma Golden Gala
10000m	27:20.99	-	Jun 17	Shibetsu Hokuren Distance Challenge, Shibetsu
5000m	13:23.85	-	Jun 10	Abashiri Hokuren Distance Challenge, Abashiri
5000m	13:18.25	-	May 26	Nobeoka Golden Games, Nobeoka
10000m	27:40.46	-	May 12	Kita-Kyushu
5000m	13:30.29	-	Apr 30	Yokohama
5000m	13:31.09	-	Apr 29	Nobeoka
Semi	58:33	-	Mar 17	Den Haag City-Pier-City Loop, The Hague
Semi	58:53	-	Feb 9	Ras Al Khaimah International Half Marathon, Ras Al Khaimah

2006

3 performances

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
Semi	1:03:04	-	Jul 9	Sapporo Half Marathon, Sapporo
Semi	59:37	-	Mar 26	Lisboa Half Marathon, Lisboa
10Kilometr	28:09	-	Feb 26	San Juan World's Best 10K, San Juan

2005

12 performances

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
10MilesRoa	45:10	-	Dec 11	Kosa International 10 Miles, Kosa
10MilesRoa	46:18	-	Oct 16	Fukuoka Prefecture Championships, Omuta
Semi	59:16	-	Sep 11	Rotterdam Fortis Half Marathon, Rotterdam
10000m	26:41.75	-	Aug 26	Bruxelles Memorial Van Damme
Semi	59:43	-	Jul 10	Sendai Half Marathon, Sendai
10000m	27:39.34	-	Jun 29	Fukagawa Hokuren Distance Challenge, Fukagawa
10000m	27:41.64	-	Jun 5	Japanese Championships
5000m	13:17.28	-	May 21	Nobeoka Golden Games, Nobeoka
10000m	27:08.00	-	May 3	Shizuoka International Meeting, Shizuoka
5000m	13:12.40	-	Apr 29	Hiroshima Mikio Oda Memorial, Hiroshima
10000m	27:32.43	-	Apr 24	Kobe Hyogo Relays, Kobe
5000m	13:29.62	-	Apr 9	Kumamoto

2004

5 performances

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
10000m	28:04.11	-	Nov 27	Hachioji
10000m	28:30.37	-	Sep 25	Konosu
5000m	13:47.22	-	Aug 5	Hamayama Japanese High School Championships, Hamayama
5000m	14:11.23	-	Aug 4	Hamayama Japanese High School Championships, Hamayama
10000m	28:00.14	-	Apr 24	Kobe Hyogo Relays, Kobe

Showing 1 - 50 of 61

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is Samuel Kamau Wanjiru's 10 000 m personal best?

Samuel Kamau Wanjiru's 10 000 m personal best is 26:41.75, set on Aug 26, 2005 in Boudewijnstadion, Bruxelles (BEL), #21 on the all-time list.

Which events does Samuel Kamau Wanjiru compete in?

Samuel Kamau Wanjiru competes in the 10 000 m and Half Marathon.

How did Samuel Kamau Wanjiru perform in 2010?

2010 season best: 1:01:33, set on Feb 28, 2010 in New Orleans, LA (USA). Last competition: Chicago Marathon on Oct 10, 2010, 2:06:24.

How many medals has Samuel Kamau Wanjiru won?

Samuel Kamau Wanjiru has won 1 Olympic Games medal.