Isaac Kimeli

Isaac Kimeli
	Kimeli in 2013
Personal information
Nationality	Kenyan-Belgian
Born	9 March 1994 (age 30); Uasin Gishu County, Kenya
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	59 kg (130 lb)
Sport
Country	Belgium
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Middle-, Long-distance running
Coached by	Tim Moriau (–2024)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing Belgium
European Indoor Championships
European U23 Championships
European Cross Country Championships

Isaac Kimeli (born 9 March 1994^[3] in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya) is a Kenyan born Belgian middle- and long-distance runner.

Kimeli won one Diamond League meeting, securing victory in the 5000 m at the 2019 Memorial Van Damme in Brussels (promotional event) with a personal best of 13:13.02.^[3]

Training and personal life

When Kimeli was four years old, his mother migrated from their home county of Uasin Gishu in Kenya to Belgium to work as a nurse. Kimeli was left in the care of his grand-parents for ten years. At age 15 he was finally reunited with this mother in Belgium. It was there that his PE teachers encouraged him to join a track club.^[4]

Career

In 2011, Kimeli competed in his first international competition at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Trabzon, Turkey.^[4]

Two years later, Kimeli won his first international medal by winning a silver at the junior 2013 European Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.^[5] This was soon followed by a gold medal at the Under-23 2016 European Cross Country Championships in Chia, Italy,^[6] and 2 silver medals (one individual, one team) and a bronze at the senior level 2018,^[7] 2019^[8] and 2022 European Cross Country Championships^[9] resp. He picked up another silver medal with the Belgium men's team at the 2024 European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, Turkey.^[10]

On the track, Kimeli earned a silver in the 5000 metres at the 2015 European Athletics U23 Championships and in the 3000 metres at the 2021 European Athletics Indoor Championships.^[11]

Kimeli represented Belgium at the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan resp. Paris, France, his best result a 8th place in the final of the men's 5000 metres in Paris.^[12]

Achievements

Competition record

Representing Belgium
Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Result
2011	European Youth Olympic Festival	Trabzon, Turkey	9th	1500 m	3:58.80
2012	European Cross Country Championships	Szentendre, Hungary	6th	XC 6.025 km U20	19:00
2013	World Cross Country Championships	Bydgoszcz, Poland	30th	XC 8 km U20	23:15
2013	European Cross Country Championships	Belgrade, Serbia	2nd	XC 6.025 km U20	17:51
2014	European Championships	Zürich, Switzerland	19th (h)	1500 m	3:41.96
2014	European Cross Country Championships	Samokov, Bulgaria	20th	XC 7.782 km U23	26:20
2015	European U23 Championships	Tallinn, Estonia	2nd	5000 m	13:54.33
2015	European Cross Country Championships	Hyères, France	38th	XC 8.087 km U23	24:27
2016	European Championships	Amsterdam, Netherlands	9th	1500 m	3:47.92
2016	European Cross Country Championships	Chia, Italy	1st	XC 7.97 km U23	22:48
2017	World Cross Country Championships	Kampala, Uganda	–	XC 9.858 km	DNF
2018	European Championships	Berlin, Germany	15th (h)	1500 m	3:42.77
	European Championships	Berlin, Germany	– (f)	5000 m	DQ
	European Cross Country Championships	Tilburg, Netherlands	2nd	XC 10.3 km	28:52
2019	European Team Championships First League	Sandnes, Norway	1st	3000 m	8:09.09
	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	18th (sf)	1500 m	3:37.50
	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	14th	5000 m	13:44.29
	European Cross Country Championships	Lisbon, Portugal	7th	XC 10.3 km	30:46
	European Cross Country Championships	Lisbon, Portugal	2nd	Team	38 pts
2021	European Indoor Championships	Toruń, Poland	2nd	3000 m	7:49.41
	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	32nd (h)	5000 m	13:57.36
	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	18th	10,000 m	28:31.91
2022	World Indoor Championships	Belgrade, Serbia	– (f)	3000 m	DNS
	World Championships	Eugene, OR, United States	10th	10,000 m	27:43.50 SB
	European Championships	Munich, Germany	11th	5000 m	13:33.39
	European Championships	Munich, Germany	– (f)	10,000 m	DNF
	European Cross Country Championships	Turin, Italy	3rd	XC 9.572 km	29:45
2023	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	13th	10,000 m	28:20.77
2024	European Championships	Rome, Italy	14th	10,000 m	28:17.84
	Olympic Games	Paris, France	11th (h)	5,000 m	13:19.25
			8th (f)	5,000 m	13:18.10
			19th (f)	10,000 m	27:51.52

National titles

Belgian Athletics Championships
- 1500 metres: 2014
Belgian Indoor Athletics Championships
- 3000 metres: 2022
Belgian Cross Country Championships
- 2015, 2017, 2018, 2023, 2023, 2024

Personal bests

1500 metres – 3:36.51 (Marseille 2018)
3000 metres – 7:47.48 (Rome 2020)
- 3000 metres indoor – 7:44.17 (Ghent 2021)
5000 metres – 12:56.53 (Stockholm 2024)
10,000 metres – 27:07.97 (San Juan Capistrano 2024)

Road

10 kilometres – 27:10 (Valencia 2025)

References

^ ^a ^b "Isaac Kimeli Palmares". Vlaamse Atletiek Liga (in Dutch). Vlaamse Atletiek Liga. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
^ "Isaac Kimeli liep naar 4e plaats op EK zonder coach: "Hij heeft me zelfs geen berichtje meer gestuurd"" [Isaac Kimeli finished 4th at the European Championships without a coach: "He didn't even send me a message anymore"]. Sporza (in Dutch). 9 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Isaac KIMELI – Athlete Profile". World Athletics. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
^ ^a ^b "From not speaking the language to competing for the national team at Tokyo 2020, Belgian runner Isaac Kimeli is aiming for gold". CNN. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
^ "Third time lucky for Duarte at European Cross as Bezabeh regains title". World Athletics. 8 December 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
^ "Kimeli strikes gold as Italy claim team title". European Athletics Association. 11 December 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
^ "ISAAC KIMELI RUNS HIS WAY TO A EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP MEDAL". www.focusonbelgium.be. 19 December 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
^ "Can retains title while Fsiha breaks through at European Cross in Lisbon". World Athletics. 8 December 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
^ "Norwegian double as Ingebrigtsen and Grovdal retain European cross titles". World Athletics. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
^ "Ingebrigtsen wins third senior title in dominant style in Antalya 2024". European Athletics. 8 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
^ "Kimeli doet er nog een Belgische medaille bij op EK indoor: zilver op 3.000 meter" (in Dutch). Sporza. 7 March 2021. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
^ "Isaac Kimeli imponeert met 8e plaats op de 5.000 meter: "Ik had het zelf niet verwacht"" (in Dutch). Sporza. 10 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.

External links

This biographical article relating to Belgian athletics is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[val-palmares-1] "Isaac Kimeli Palmares". Vlaamse Atletiek Liga (in Dutch). Vlaamse Atletiek Liga. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.

[2] "Isaac Kimeli liep naar 4e plaats op EK zonder coach: "Hij heeft me zelfs geen berichtje meer gestuurd"" [Isaac Kimeli finished 4th at the European Championships without a coach: "He didn't even send me a message anymore"]. Sporza (in Dutch). 9 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.

[WAprofile-3] "Isaac KIMELI – Athlete Profile". World Athletics. Retrieved 1 January 2021.

[CNN-4] "From not speaking the language to competing for the national team at Tokyo 2020, Belgian runner Isaac Kimeli is aiming for gold". CNN. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2024.

[5] "Third time lucky for Duarte at European Cross as Bezabeh regains title". World Athletics. 8 December 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2024.

[6] "Kimeli strikes gold as Italy claim team title". European Athletics Association. 11 December 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2024.

[7] "ISAAC KIMELI RUNS HIS WAY TO A EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP MEDAL". www.focusonbelgium.be. 19 December 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2024.

[8] "Can retains title while Fsiha breaks through at European Cross in Lisbon". World Athletics. 8 December 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2024.

[9] "Norwegian double as Ingebrigtsen and Grovdal retain European cross titles". World Athletics. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2024.

[10] "Ingebrigtsen wins third senior title in dominant style in Antalya 2024". European Athletics. 8 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.

[11] "Kimeli doet er nog een Belgische medaille bij op EK indoor: zilver op 3.000 meter" (in Dutch). Sporza. 7 March 2021. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.

[12] "Isaac Kimeli imponeert met 8e plaats op de 5.000 meter: "Ik had het zelf niet verwacht"" (in Dutch). Sporza. 10 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.

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