{{short description|Kenyan long-distance runner}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Joan Chelimo | image = EC 2024 - half marathon W (cropped).jpg | caption = Chelimo in 2024 | full_name = Joan Chelimo Melly | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1990|11|10}} | birth_place = Kenya | height = 1.71 m | country = Romania | sport = Athletics | event = Marathon }}
'''Joan Chelimo Melly''' (born 10 November 1990) is a Kenyan and Romanian<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.click.ro/sport/alte-sporturi/kenyencele-joan-chelimo-stella-ruto-si-delvine-meringor-au-primit-cetatenia |title=Kenyencele Joan Chelimo, Stella Ruto și Delvine Meringor au primit cetățenia română. Două dintre ele au baremul pentru JO Tokyo la maraton |trans-title=Kenyans Joan Chelimo, Stella Ruto and Delvine Meringor have received Romanian citizenship. Two of them have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in the marathon. |website=Click.ro |language=ro |access-date=14 May 2021}}</ref> female long-distance runner who competes in road running competitions. She is the 2018 Prague Half Marathon Champion and the winner of other prestigious road races such as Berlin Half Marathon, Boston 10K and Boston Half Marathon.
== Biography ==
===Career=== Chelimo ran 1500 metres while at school, going up to the National Championship level. She began to compete in small road races in 2011, mainly running in Spain and Morocco for the next 3 years. During that period, she won several races, including the Valencia 10K in a course record of 32:17<ref>{{cite web |title=El Maratón Divina Pastora Valencia vuelve a asombrar al mundo |trans-title=The Divina Pastora Valencia Marathon amazes the world again |url=http://carreras.deportevalencia.com/noticias-anteriores-detalle.php?id=1931 |website=carreras.deportevalencia.com |language=es |access-date=21 July 2017 |archive-date=30 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730070036/http://carreras.deportevalencia.com/noticias-anteriores-detalle.php?id=1931 |url-status=live}}</ref> and the OCP 10K Int’l de Khouribga where she set a then 31:41 personal best over the 10K distance.<ref>{{cite web |title=Winners of AIMS events in 2013 |url=http://www.aims-worldrunning.org/statistics/event_winners/2013.html |website=aims-worldrunning.org |access-date=21 July 2017}}</ref>
She ended her 2014 season with 3 consecutive victories, winning Wachau Half Marathon in 1:11:52, Swansea 10K and Cardiff Half Marathon.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kongin and Chelimo win Cardiff Half |url=http://www.athleticsweekly.com/featured/kongin-chelimo-win-cardiff-half-marathon-12714 |website=athleticsweekly.com |access-date=21 July 2017}}</ref>
Due to pregnancy, she skipped the 2015 season and returned to competition in September 2016 by placing sixth at the Kericho 10K.<ref>{{cite web |title=Safaricom Kericho Road Race: Cardiff Half Marathon winner Chelimo bounces back |url=http://www.michezoafrika.com/news/safaricom-kericho-road-race--cardiff-half-marathon-winner-chelimo-bounces-back-/23791 |website=michezoafrika.com |access-date=21 July 2017}}</ref>
Chelimo won the 2017 Berlin Half Marathon in 1:08:45.<ref>{{cite web |title=Late-entrant Joan Melly takes surprise victory while fellow-Kenyan Gilbert Masai wins |url=http://www.bmw-berlin-marathon.com/en/news-and-media/news/2017/04/02/lateentrant-joan-melly-takes-surprise-victory-while-fellowkenyan-gilbert-masai-wins.html |website=bmw-berlin-marathon.com |access-date=21 July 2017 |archive-date=2 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702143652/http://www.bmw-berlin-marathon.com/en/news-and-media/news/2017/04/02/lateentrant-joan-melly-takes-surprise-victory-while-fellowkenyan-gilbert-masai-wins.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> In May, she finished second at Le Puy-en-Velay 15K<ref>{{cite web |title=Exploit et record pour Mathew Kimeli |url=http://www.pressreader.com/france/la-montagne-clermont-limagne/20170502/281960312652659 |via=PressReader |access-date=21 July 2017}}</ref> before winning Boston 10K in a new best of 31:24<ref name="auto">{{cite web |title=Chebii and Chelimo Secure Kenyan Sweep at B.A.A. 10K |url=http://www.baa.org/news-and-press/news-listing/2017/june/chebii-and-chelimo-secure-kenyan-sweep-at-baa-10k.aspx |website=baa.org |access-date=21 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507195051/http://www.baa.org/news-and-press/news-listing/2017/june/chebii-and-chelimo-secure-kenyan-sweep-at-baa-10k.aspx |archive-date=7 May 2018}}</ref> In September, she ended up second at the Copenhagen Half Marathon after leading most of the race, clocking a new personal best of 1:06:25, the seventh fastest time of the year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cheroben sizzles 58:40 world lead at Copenhagen Half Marathon |url=https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/cheroben-5840-copenhagen-half-marathon |website=IAAF.org |access-date=18 September 2017 |archive-date=22 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922002552/https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/cheroben-5840-copenhagen-half-marathon |url-status=live}}</ref> She came back to Boston in October and won her second Boston Athletic Association event of the year by taking a commanding victory at the Boston Half Marathon in 1:10:31.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kenyans Sweep 2017 B.A.A. Half Marathon |url=http://www.baa.org/news-and-press/news-listing/2017/october/kenyans-sweep-2017-baa-half-marathon.aspx |website=baa.org |access-date=12 October 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012202835/http://www.baa.org/news-and-press/news-listing/2017/october/kenyans-sweep-2017-baa-half-marathon.aspx |archive-date=12 October 2017}}</ref>
In 2018 Chelimo won the Elgeyo-Marakwet County Cross Country Championship.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chelimo, Kimeli win in Elgeyo Marakwet |url=https://www.nation.co.ke/sports/athletics/Chelimo-Kimeli-win-in-Elgeyo-Marakwet/1100-4271728-aheja5z/index.html |website=nation.co.ke |access-date=11 February 2018 |archive-date=12 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212005001/https://www.nation.co.ke/sports/athletics/Chelimo-Kimeli-win-in-Elgeyo-Marakwet/1100-4271728-aheja5z/index.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Three weeks later she became the ninth woman to ever run a half marathon under sixty-six minutes, finishing fourth at Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon with a new personal best of 1:05:37 in a race widely regarded as the greatest women’s half marathon ever held.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chemutai threatens world record at RAK Half Marathon |url=https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/rak-half-marathon-2018-chemutai-karoki |website=IAAF.org |access-date=11 February 2018}}</ref> Following her excellent performances and after going out under world-record pace for about seventeen kilometers, Chelimo won the 2018 Prague Half Marathon in 1:05:04, becoming the 4th fastest women of all-time over the distance.<ref>{{cite web |title=MELLY SIZZLES TO 1:05:04 VICTORY AT PRAGUE HALF MARATHON |url=https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/joan-melly-won-the-sportisimo-prague-half-mar |website=IAAF.org |access-date=7 April 2018 |archive-date=8 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408010413/https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/joan-melly-won-the-sportisimo-prague-half-mar |url-status=live}}</ref> In September, she finished third at the Copenhagen Half Marathon after taking out the race at world-record pace for fifteen kilometers before being overtaken by Dutch athlete Sifan Hassan in the last two kilometers of the race.<ref>{{cite web |title=HASSAN SMASHES EUROPEAN RECORD AT COPENHAGEN HALF MARATHON |url=https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/copenhagen-half-marathon-2018-hassan |website=IAAF.org |access-date=8 October 2018 |archive-date=18 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180918012136/https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/copenhagen-half-marathon-2018-hassan |url-status=live}}</ref> She then went on to win the 2018 Boston Half Marathon, defending her title and winning the race for the second consecutive time in 1:09:34.<ref>{{cite web |title=Joan Chelimo repeats as women's champion |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2018/10/07/half-marathon-joan-chelimo-repeats-women-champion/ZL1nAwyN7OMgNRSD9mXvbP/story.html |website=bostonglobe.com |access-date=8 October 2018 |archive-date=8 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008134901/https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2018/10/07/half-marathon-joan-chelimo-repeats-women-champion/ZL1nAwyN7OMgNRSD9mXvbP/story.html |url-status=live}}</ref> She won her last race of the season with ease at the Montferland Run.<ref>{{cite web |title=Geen parcoursrecord bij Montferland Run |trans-title=No course record at Montferland Run |url=https://www.omroepgelderland.nl/nieuws/2391872/Geen-parcoursrecord-bij-Montferland-Run |website=omroepgelderland.nl |language=nl |access-date=2 December 2018}}</ref>
In May 2021 Chelimo became a Romanian citizen. She won the Paris Half Marathon on 3 March 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=Joan Chelimo MELLY |url=https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/joan-chelimo-melly-14426302 |website=worldathletics.org |publisher=World Athletics |access-date=3 March 2024}}</ref>
=== Activism ===
Chelimo is a survivor of gender-based violence. In order to raise awareness on the threats that athletes often face, in 2021 she co-founded ''Tirop’s Angels'', a union of Kenyan athletes which campaigns against gender-based violence in the country and abroad. The organization was titled in honour of a fellow runner, the world record-holder Agnes Tirop, stabbed to death in October 2021 at her home in Iten, allegedly by her husband.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/resources/idt-4f79d09b-655a-42f8-82b4-9b2ecebab611 |title=BBC 100 Women 2024: Who is on the list this year? |last= |first= |date=3 December 2024 |publisher=BBC |access-date=10 December 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://olympics.com/en/news/tirops-angels-fight-against-gender-based-violence |title=Tirop's Angels: How the death of one of the world's most promising athletes began a movement against gender-based violence |last=McAlister |first=Sean |date=25 November 2023 |publisher=Olympic Games |access-date=10 December 2024 |archive-date=16 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240816054632/https://olympics.com/en/news/tirops-angels-fight-against-gender-based-violence |url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2024 the organization opened a centre in Iten which will serve as a shelter for victims of violence and abuse.<ref name=OA20240507>{{cite web |url=https://www.okayafrica.com/tirops-angels-physical-center-gbv/ |title=In Honor of Slain Olympian, Family and Friends Open Center for Gender-Based Violence Survivors in Kenya |last=Esene |first=Shalom |date=7 May 2024 |publisher=Okay Africa |access-date=10 December 2024}}</ref>
==Personal life== She is married and has a daughter named Ariana.<ref name="auto"/> She trains and lives in Iten.
== Road race wins and championship medals == {| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}} |- |rowspan=4|2011 |Torrevieja Half Marathon |Torrevieja, Spain |bgcolor=gold|1st |Half marathon |1:18:16 |- |Alicante Half Marathon |Alicante, Spain |bgcolor=gold|1st |Half marathon |1:17:50 |- |Bilbao 15K |Bilbao, Spain |bgcolor=gold|1st |15K |53:43 |- |Crevillentina 10K |Crevillentina, Spain |bgcolor=gold|1st |10K |33:56 |- |rowspan=3|2012 |Khouribga 10K |Khouribga, Morocco |bgcolor=gold|1st |10K |31:41 CR |- |Bilbao 15K |Bilbao, Spain |bgcolor=gold|1st |15K |53:52 |- |Valencia 10K |Valencia, Spain |bgcolor=gold|1st |10K |32:17 CR |- |rowspan=4|2014 |Mohammédia 10K |Mohammédia, Morocco |bgcolor=gold|1st |10K |31:58 |- |Wachau Half Marathon |Krems an der Donau, Austria |bgcolor=gold|1st |Half marathon |1:11:52 |- |Swansea 10K |Swansea, United Kingdom |bgcolor=gold|1st |10K |33:04 |- |Cardiff Half Marathon |Cardiff, United Kingdom |bgcolor=gold|1st |Half marathon |1:12:26 |- |rowspan=3|2017 |Berlin Half Marathon |Berlin, Germany |bgcolor=gold|1st |Half marathon |1:08:45 |- |Boston 10K |Boston, USA |bgcolor=gold|1st |10K |31:24 |- |Boston Half Marathon |Boston, USA |bgcolor=gold|1st |Half marathon |1:10:31 |- |rowspan=4|2018 |Prague Half Marathon |Prague, Czech Republic |bgcolor=gold|1st |Half marathon |1:05:04 |- |Kisii Half Marathon |Kisii, KEN |bgcolor=gold|1st |Half Marathon |1:10:25 |- |Boston Half Marathon |Boston, USA |bgcolor=gold|1st |Half Marathon |1:09:34 |- |Montferland Run |'s-Heerenberg, NED |bgcolor=gold|1st |15K |48:44 |- |rowspan=4|2024 |Paris Half Marathon |Paris, FRA |bgcolor=gold|1st |Half Marathon |1:06:58 |- |European Championships |Rome, ITA |bgcolor=silver|2nd |Half Marathon |1:08:55 |}
==Personal bests== *5K – 14:51 (2018) *10K – 30:14 (2018) *15K – 45:54 (2018) *Half marathon – 1:05:04 (2018)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{World Athletics|romania/joan-chelimo-melly-14426302|Joan Chelimo Melly}} * {{Olympics.com|joan-chelimo-melly|Joan Chelimo Melly}} * [https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/joan-chelimo-melly_1538939 Joan Chelimo Melly] at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics * {{COSR profile|new_id=melly-joan-chelimo|name=Joan Chelimo Melly}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chelimo, Joan}} Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:Kenyan women long-distance runners Category:Romanian women long-distance runners Category:Olympic athletes for Romania Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Olympics Category:21st-century Romanian sportswomen