15 Facts About Abel Kirui

Abel Kirui was born on 6 April 1982 and is a long-distance runner from Kenya who competes in marathons.

Abel Kirui had back-to-back wins in the World Championship marathon in 2009 and 2011.

Abel Kirui earned the silver medal in the 2012 London Olympic marathon.

Abel Kirui has won the 2008 Vienna City Marathon, the 2016 Chicago Marathon and was runner-up at the 2007 Berlin Marathon and 2017 Chicago Marathon.

Abel Kirui won the race and subsequently joined AP, starting serious training only after then.

Abel Kirui entered the 2006 Berlin Marathon as a pacemaker, but finished the race ninth.

At the 2007 Berlin Marathon, Abel Kirui finished second with a time of 2:06:51, after the winner Haile Gebrselassie, who set a new marathon world record.

Abel Kirui finished third in the 2009 Rotterdam Marathon with a time of 2:05:04 after fellow Kenyans Duncan Kibet and James Kwambai, making him the sixth fastest marathoner ever.

On 22 August, Abel Kirui took gold over his teammate Emmanuel Mutai who took silver at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin at a record time of 2:06:54.

Abel Kirui was given the wildcard spot on the Kenyan marathon team as the defending champion at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics.

Abel Kirui ran a time of 2:07:38 beating out fellow countryman Vincent Kipruto and Ethiopian Feyisa Lilesa.

Abel Kirui finished in second at the 2012 Summer Olympics with a time of 2:08:27 barely losing to the winner Stephen Kiprotich by 26 seconds.

Abel Kirui finished in second place at the 2017 Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:09:48 barely losing to the winner Galen Rupp by 28 seconds.

Abel Kirui finished the 2017 London Marathon, in fourth place with a time of 2:07:45.

Abel Kirui is married to Stella Jemeli and has a son Tevin Kipchumba.