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Timothy Cheruiyot (born 20 November 1995)[2] is a Kenyan middle-distance runner specialising in the 1500 metres. He is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medallist in the event and the 8th fastest athlete all time over the distance. At the World Athletics Championships, Cheruiyot won the silver medal in 2017 in London, and a gold in 2019 in Doha.
.jpg) Cheruiyot at the Paris Diamond League in 2018 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 November 1995 Bomet, Kenya |
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) |
| Weight | 65 kg (143 lb)[1] |
| Sport | |
| Country | Kenya |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | 1500 metres |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best(s) | 800 m: 1:43.11 (Nairobi 2019) 1500 m: 3:28.28 (Monaco 2021) Mile: 3:49.64 (Eugene 2017) 2000 m: 5:03.05 (Nairobi 2020) 3000 m: 7:36.72 (Doha 2023) 5000 m: 13:47.2 (Nairobi 2020) |
Medal record | |
He took the silver medal in his specialty event at the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games, and is also a two-time African Championship silver medallist from 2016 and 2018. Cheruiyot won the 1500 m Diamond League title on four occasions: in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021.
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Cheruiyot is from the town of Singorwet, in Bomet County, Kenya, and lives on a farm with his family. Beginning in 2014, he began to train in the outskirts of Nairobi, via the Rongai Athletics Club, under Coach Bernard Ouma.[3]
Early Career: 2015-2018
2015
Cheruiyot's first major milestone in his career was competing on Kenya's Distance Medley Relay (DMR) at the 2015 IAAF World Relays Championships in the Bahamas. Team Kenya's goal was to improve on their existing DMR world record of 9:15.56 set back in 2006, but the new world record ended up going to the United States, in a time of 9:15.50, while Kenya finished second in a time of 9:17.20. Cheruiyot anchored this DMR (1600m leg) against the United States' Ben Blankenship.[3][4]
Cheruiyot would have a rematch against Blankenship three weeks later at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, in the men's International Mile. Blankenship won in a time of 3:55.72, while Cheruiyot finished 3rd in a time of 3:55.80.[3][5]
Cheruiyot then switched attention to the 1500m at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing. Here, he made it through the rounds and took 7th place in the final in a time of 3:36.05.[3][6]
2016
In 2016, Cheruiyot won the 1500m at the Rabat Diamond League, in a time of 3:33.61.[7] He also took a silver medal in the 1500m at the African Championships in Durban (3:39.71), and finished 2nd in the Emsley Carr Mile (3:53.17[8]) at the Anniversary Games in London.[3]
However, despite his successes, Cheruiyot took 4th place in the 1500m final at the Kenyan Olympic Trials and was therefore unable to represent Kenya at the 2016 Rio Olympics.[3]
Although disappointed by not making Kenya's Olympic Team, Cheruiyot had another breakthrough by winning the 1500m at the Brussels Diamond League, in a personal best time of 3:31.34.[3]
2017: World Silver Medalist & Diamond League Champion
By the end of the 2017 season, Cheruiyot was ranked 2nd in the world over the 1500m, and was a world silver medalist at the 2017 World Championships in London, in a time of 3:33.99, with compatriot Elijah Manangoi winning in a time of 3:33.61.[3][9]
Cheruiyot also won the 2017 Diamond League Final, in a time of 3:33.93.[3][10]
2018
With no major championships this year, Cheruiyot spent 2018 focusing on speed and Diamond League racing. He remained undefeated in every domestic Kenyan race and Diamond League he competed in. Cheruiyot ended 2018 ranked first in the 1500m (3:28.41) and mile (3:49.87).[3]
Cheruiyot was nominated by the IAAF, along with ten other athletes, for the Athlete of the Year Award.[3]
Despite the momentum, at the end of 2018 and into early 2019, Cheruiyot sustained a small injury, but would recover to full strength after a few months.[3]
2019: World Champion
Despite the injury, Cheruiyot won every Diamond League he competed in this year except for the Doha Diamond League. A notable performance Cheruiyot had in the Diamond League circuit was at the Lausanne Diamond League, where he front-ran to set a meet record in a time of 3:28.78.[3]
Cheruiyot remained first in the 1500 metres and also stepped down to the 800 metres, running a personal best of 1:43.11 to win the Kenyan National Championships. He also defended his 1500m Diamond League title.[3]
Cheruiyot's most notable achievement in 2019 was winning gold for Kenya at the men's 1500m final in the IAAF World Championships in Doha. Cheruiyot won in a time of 3:29.26.[3][11]
2020
The COVID-19 pandemic forced Cheruiyot to slow down in 2020, though he still raced in Monaco, Stockholm, Doha, and Nairobi. He also raced the 2,000m distance in the Impossible Games, winning the Kenyan race in a time of 5:03.05.[3][12]
Cheruiyot stated this time spent at home helped him to further appreciate his family.[3]
2021: Olympic Silver Medalist
Cheruiyot began 2021 with 1500m wins at the Doha, Stockholm, and Monaco Diamond Leagues. At the Monaco Diamond League he ran his current personal best of 3:28.28.[3]
Since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, and having not made the Rio team, Cheruiyot's main priority for the year was the Olympics.[3]
Athletics Kenya formally invited Cheruiyot to join the Kenyan Olympic Team for the 1500m. Having made it through both rounds, Cheruiyot finished second for Olympic Silver in the 1500m final, in a time of 3:29.01, beating British athlete Josh Kerr who took Olympic Bronze in 3:29.05. Norwegian athlete Jakob Ingebrigtsen took Olympic Gold in a new Olympic record of 3:28.32, beating Abel Kipsang's recent Olympic record from the semifinals of 3:31.65, and Noah Ngeny's former Olympic Record from the 2000 Sydney Olympics of 3:32.07.[3][13][14][15]
Prior to the Olympic Final, Cheruiyot had stated he would gift any athlete who beat him in the final his Kenyan bracelet, which he gave to Ingebrigtsen.[3]
To wrap up the 2021 season, Cheruiyot went on to defend his Diamond League title at the Diamond League Final at Zurich, winning in a time of 3:31.37 and beating Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who came 2nd in a time of 3:31.45.[3][16]
2022
Cheruiyot began his 2022 season with a 2nd place finish in the 1500m at the Doha Diamond League and a 3rd place finish in the Bowerman Mile at the Prefontaine Classic. Despite a hamstring issue, Cheruiyot navigated the rounds at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, but took 6th in the final, in a season's best time of 3:30.69.[3][17]
In 2022, Cheruiyot was unable to defend his Diamond League title, being beaten by Jakob Ingebrigtsen.[3]
2023
Cheruiyot opened his 2023 season with a 3,000m race at the Doha Diamond League, finishing 5th in a time of 7:36.72.[18] He also ran the 1500m in the Los Angeles Grand Prix, winning in a time of 3:31.47.[19] Cheruiyot also competed in the Oslo Diamond League, running a season's best of 3:29.08 in the 1500m.[3]
All of this was building to the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. Cheruiyot made the Kenyan National Team, and made it through the preliminaries, but was eliminated in the semifinals.[20] Cheruiyot stated he was diagnosed with a knee injury after the World Championships, and therefore spent the rest of 2023, and the beginning of 2024 resting and rehabilitating to prepare for the upcoming Olympic Year.[3]
2024
In another Olympic Year, building to the 2024 Paris Olympics, at the Oslo Diamond League on 30 May, Cheruiyot narrowly lost to his long-time rival Jakob Ingebrigtsen, with Ingebrigtsen winning in a time of 3:29.74, and Cheruiyot running 3:29.77.[21]
In the 1500m final at the Kenyan Olympic Trials, which took place in June, Cheruiyot secured his spot on the Kenyan Olympic Team for the 2024 Paris Olympics, coming in third place, with a time of 3:35.90. In second was Daniel Mungati, who ran 3:35.80, and the winner was Reynold Cheruiyot, who ran 3:35.63. This 1500m race began relatively slow, with the final 400m turning into a sprint finish.[22]
On 12 July, in the 1500 metres at the Herculis Meeting, Cheruiyot ran a season's best of 3:28.71, behind Jakob Ingebrigtsen's new European record of 3:26.73.[23]
On 6 August, Cheruiyot finished 11th in the 1500m final at the 2024 Paris Olympics, in a time of 3:31.35.[24]
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International competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | IAAF World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | 2nd | Distance medley relay | 9:17.20 |
| World Championships | Beijing, China | 7th | 1500 m | 3:36.05 | |
| 2016 | African Championships | Durban, South Africa | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:39.71 |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:33.99 |
| 2018 | Commonwealth Games | Gold Coast, Australia | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:35.17 |
| African Championships | Asaba, Nigeria | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:35.93 | |
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 1st | 1500 m | 3:29.26 |
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:29.01 |
| 2022 | World Championships | Eugene, United States | 6th | 1500 m | 3:30.69 |
| Commonwealth Games | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:30.21 | |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 23rd (sf) | 1500 m | 3:37.40 |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France | 11th | 1500 m | 3:31.35 |
Diamond League wins and titles
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representing Nike | |||||
| 2016 | Meeting de Rabat | Rabat, Morocco | 1st | 1500m | 3:33.61 |
| Memorial Van Damme | Brussels, Belgium | 1st | 1500m | 3:31.34 | |
| 2017 | BAUHAUS-galan | Stockholm, Sweden | 1st | 1500m | 3:30.77 |
 Weltklasse Zürich |
Zürich, Switzerland | 1st | 1500m | 3:31.34 | |
| 2018 | Diamond League Shanghai | Shanghai, China | 1st | 1500m | 3:31.48 |
| Prefontaine Classic | Eugene, United States | 1st | One Mile | 3:49.87 | |
| Golden Gala | Rome, Italy | 1st | 1500m | 3:31.22 | |
| Meeting de Paris | Paris, France | 1st | 1500m | 3:29.71 | |
| Herculis | Monaco, Monaco | 1st | 1500m | 3:28.41 | |
| Weltklasse Zürich |
Zürich, Switzerland | 1st | 1500m | 3:30.27 | |
| 2019 | BAUHAUS-galan | Stockholm, Sweden | 1st | 1500m | 3:32.47 |
| Prefontaine Classic | Eugene, United States | 1st | One Mile | 3:50.49 | |
| Athletissima | Lausanne, Switzerland | 1st | 1500m | 3:28.77 | |
| Herculis | Monaco, Monaco | 1st | 1500m | 3:29.97 | |
| Memorial Van Damme |
Brussels, Belgium | 1st | 1500m | 3:30.22 | |
| 2020 | Herculis | Monaco, Monaco | 1st | 1500m | 3:28.45 |
| BAUHAUS-galan | Stockholm, Sweden | 1st | 1500m | 3:35.79 | |
| 2021 | Doha Diamond League | Doha, Qatar | 1st | 1500m | 3:30.48 |
| BAUHAUS-galan | Stockholm, Sweden | 1st | 1500m | 3:32.30 | |
| Herculis | Monaco, Monaco | 1st | 1500m | 3:28.28 | |
| Weltklasse Zürich |
Zürich, Switzerland | 1st | 1500m | 3:31.37 | |
National championships
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representing Nike | |||||
| 2014 | Kenyan Championships | Nairobi | 7th | 800 m | 1:47.32 |
| Kenyan Junior Championships | 3rd | 800 m | 1:45.92 | ||
| 2015 | Kenyan Championships | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:39.25 | |
| Kenyan World Championship Trials | 5th | 1500 m | 3:34.86 | ||
| 2016 | Kenyan Championships | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:37.04 | |
| Kenyan Olympic Trials | Eldoret | 4th | 1500 m | 3:39.30 | |
| 2017 | Kenyan Championships | Nairobi | 1st | 1500 m | 3:41.0 |
| Kenyan World Championship Trials | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:31.05 | ||
| 2018 | Kenyan Commonwealth Games Trials | 1st | 1500 m | 3:34.84 | |
| Kenyan Championships | 1st | 1500 m | 3:34.82 | ||
| 2019 | Kenyan Championships | 1st | 800 m | 1:43.11 | |
| Kenyan World Championship Trials | 1st | 1500 m | 3:34.91 | ||
| 2021 | Kenyan Olympic Trials | 4th | 1500m | 3:34.62 | |
| 2022 | Kenyan Championships | 6th | 1500m | 3:37.81 | |
| Kenyan Commonwealth Games / World Championships Trials | 2nd | 1500m | 3:34.59 | ||
| 2023 | Kenyan Championships | 3rd | 800m | 1:45.10 | |
| Kenyan World Championship Trials | 1st | 1500m | 3:34.01 | ||
| 2024 | Kenyan Championships | 3rd | 800m | 1:45.65 | |
| Kenyan Championships | 4th | 1500m | 3:40.23 | ||
| Kenyan Olympic Trials | 3rd | 1500m | 3:35.90 | ||
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Personal bests
- 800 metres – 1:43.11 (Nairobi 2019)
- 1500 metres – 3:28.28 (Monaco 2021)
- One mile – 3:49.64 (Eugene 2017)
- 2000 metres – 5:03.05 (Nairobi 2020)
- 3000 metres – 7:36.72 (Doha 2023)
- 5000 metres – 13:47.2 (Nairobi 2020)
Progression
| Year | Time | Event | Location | Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 3:34.86 | Kenyan World Championship Trials | Nairobi, Kenya | August 1 |
| 2016 | 3:31.34 | Brussels Diamond League Meeting | Brussels, Belgium | September 9 |
| 2017 | 3:29.10 | Monaco Diamond League Meeting | Monaco, Monaco | July 21 |
| 2018 | 3:28.41 | Monaco Diamond League Meeting | July 20 | |
| 2019 | 3:28.77 | Lausanne Diamond League Meeting | Lausanne, Switzerland | July 5 |
| 2020 | 3:28.45 | Monaco Diamond League Meeting | Monaco, Monaco | August 14 |
| 2021 | 3:28.28 | Monaco Diamond League Meeting | July 9 | |
| 2022 | 3:30.21 | 2022 Commonwealth Games | Birmingham, United Kingdom | August 6 |
| 2023 | 3:29.08 | Oslo Diamond League Meeting | Oslo, Norway | June 15 |
| 2024 | 3:28.71 | Monaco Diamond League Meeting | Monaco, Monaco | July 12 |
World Rankings
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 6th |
| 2017 | 2nd |
| 2018 | 1st |
| 2019 | 1st |
| 2020 | N/A |
| 2021 | 2nd |
| 2022 | 3rd |
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