{{short description|Kenyan long-distance runner}} {{EngvarB|date=February 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}} thumb|En route to victory at the 2005 Enschede Marathon '''John Ekiru Kelai''' (born 29 December 1976) is a male long-distance runner from Kenya, who specialises in the marathon. He set his personal best of 2:09:09 hours for the distance at the 2005 edition of the Eindhoven Marathon, where he finished fourth. He is a two-time winner of the Enschede Marathon, also in the Netherlands, and had consecutive wins at the Mumbai Marathon in 2007–2008.
==Biography== Kelai won the 2003 Singapore Marathon, the 2004 Brussels Marathon, and was the 2007 winner of the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. In 2009 he was third at the Mumbai Marathon, failing to defend his title, and took fourth at both the Singapore and Karstadt Marathons.<ref>[http://marathoninfo.free.fr/athletes/kenya/kelai_john.htm Kelai, John]. Marathon Info. Retrieved 16 October 2010.</ref>
He was selected for the marathon at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and he moved away from the field in the final 10 km to become Commonwealth champion (only the second Kenyan man to take the title after Douglas Wakiihuri). "I am so humbled to win here. It is an honour. I didn't know I could be the winner", said Kelai, "I feel on top of the world".<ref>{{cite news|last=Rowbottom |first=Mike|date=14 October 2010|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/double-marathon-triumph-for-kenya-ends-athlet|title=Double marathon triumph for Kenya ends athletics programme at Commonwealth Games|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=7 May 2016}}</ref> He stayed on in Asia for 2011, coming sixth at the Mumbai Marathon and third in Singapore.<ref>{{cite news|last=Krishnan|first=Ram. Murali|date=16 January 2011|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/assefa-and-yal-take-down-course-records-in-mu|title= Assefa and Yal take down course records in Mumbai|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=7 May 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.iaaf.org/LRR11/news/newsid=63082.html |title=Kenyans sweep in Singapore |publisher=IAAF |date=4 December 2011 |accessdate=4 December 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107054504/http://www.iaaf.org/LRR11/news/newsid%3D63082.html |archivedate= 7 January 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
He was invited to the 2012 Brighton Marathon and was third in a Kenyan podium sweep.<ref>{{cite news|last=Butcher|first=Michael|date=15 April 2012|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/course-records-fall-in-brighton|title=Course records fall in Brighton|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=7 May 2016}}</ref>
==Achievements== {| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}} |- !colspan="6"|Representing {{KEN}} |- |2003 |Singapore Marathon |Singapore |bgcolor=gold|1st |Marathon |2:19:02 |- |rowspan=2|2004 |Brussels Marathon |Brussels, Belgium |bgcolor=gold|1st |Marathon |2:10:59 |- |Singapore Marathon |Singapore |4th |Marathon |2:17:49 |- |rowspan=3|2005 |Enschede Marathon |Enschede, Netherlands |bgcolor=gold|1st |Marathon |2:11:44 |- |Eindhoven Marathon |Eindhoven, Netherlands |4th |Marathon |2:09:09 |- |Singapore Marathon |Singapore |5th |Marathon |2:16:58 |- |rowspan=2|2006 |Enschede Marathon |Enschede, Netherlands |bgcolor=silver|2nd |Marathon |2:12:05 |- |Eindhoven Marathon |Eindhoven, Netherlands |14th |Marathon |2:18:37 |- |rowspan=3|2007 |Mumbai Marathon |Mumbai, India |bgcolor=gold|1st |Marathon |2:12:30 |- |National Capital Marathon |Ottawa, Canada |4th |Marathon |2:11:10 |- |Toronto Waterfront Marathon |Toronto, Canada |bgcolor=gold|1st |Marathon |2:09:30 |- |rowspan=2|2008 |Mumbai Marathon |Mumbai, India |bgcolor=gold|1st |Marathon |2:12:22 |- |Toronto Waterfront Marathon |Toronto, Canada |5th |Marathon |2:12:43 |- |rowspan=3|2009 |Mumbai Marathon |Mumbai, India |bgcolor=cc9966|3rd |Marathon |2:12:13 |- |Ruhr Marathon |Essen, Germany |4th |Marathon |2:11:15 |- |Singapore Marathon |Singapore |4th |Marathon |2:13:14 |- |rowspan=2|2010 |Enschede Marathon |Enschede, Netherlands |bgcolor=gold|1st |Marathon |2:12:17 |- |Commonwealth Games |Delhi, India |bgcolor=gold|1st |Marathon |2:14:35 |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{World Athletics}}
{{Footer Enschede Marathon Champions Men}} {{Footer Commonwealth Champions Marathon Men}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kelai, John}} Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:Kenyan men long-distance runners Category:Kenyan men marathon runners Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Kenya Category:Commonwealth Games athletes for Kenya Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Category:Medallists at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Category:20th-century Kenyan sportsmen Category:21st-century Kenyan sportsmen Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in athletics