{{Short description|Kenyan long-distance runner (born 1986)}} {{Use British English|date=May 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} [[File:Sammy Kitwara 2011 Singelloop.jpg|thumb|Kitwara behind Boniface Kirui at the Singelloop Utrecht in 2011]] '''Sammy Kirop Kitwara''' (born 26 November 1986 in Sagat, Marakwet District<ref name="IAAF Focus">{{cite web|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/athletes/newsid=54606.html|title=Focus on Athletes – Sammy Kitwara|date=3 October 2009|publisher=IAAF|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102004902/http://www.iaaf.org/news/athletes/newsid=54606.html|archivedate=2 January 2010|accessdate=25 October 2009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specialises in road running events. He is coached by Moses Kiptanui.<ref name="IAAF Focus"/> As of November 2023 he is the 33rd fastest half marathon runner in history, having run 58.48 in 2011, which was the 4th fastest ever at the time.
==Biography== He went to Embomir Primary School and Kerio Valley Secondary school, from which he graduated in 2004. He did not take up running until 2007, later quoting ''"I saw I was not making any progress in life and my family needed assistance"''. Kitwara won four national cross-country circuit competitions in 2008, but failed at the trials for the cross-country world championships.<ref name="IAAF">{{cite news|accessdate=25 October 2009|url=http://www.iaaf.org/WHM09/news/kind=100/newsid=54356.html|title=Kitwara blazes 58:58 in Rotterdam|date=13 September 2009|publisher=IAAF|archivedate=26 October 2009|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091026025141/http://www.iaaf.org/WHM09/news/kind=100/newsid=54356.html|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In 2008 he took to the European road running circuit and won at the 20 Kilomètres de Paris, Dam tot Damloop and Singelloop Utrecht races.
Kitwara, a policeman by occupation, won the 2009 Rotterdam Half Marathon in a time of 58:58 – a course record which made him only the sixth runner to complete a sub-59-minute run.<ref name="IAAF"/> Earlier in the year Kitwara won another major half marathon, the City-Pier-City half marathon in The Hague, beating Haile Gebrselassie into second place, as well as winning at the Peachtree Road Race.<ref name="IAAF"/> He set a new course record of 27:25.6 at the World's Best 10K in February that year. Kitwara won the 10,000 m race at the Kenyan Trials in June 2009, earning a place in the national team for the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.<ref name="IAAF Focus"/> However, he was subsequently removed from the team by Athletics Kenya for participating in road races after the Trials.<ref name="IAAF Focus"/> He did, however compete at the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham, finishing 10th.
He began 2010 with two second-place finishes: finishing just behind Tilahun Regassa at the Abu Dhabi Half Marathon,<ref>{{cite news|publisher=IAAF|date=8 January 2010|accessdate=30 April 2016|url= http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/fast-wins-for-keitany-and-regassa-in-abu-dhab|title=Fast wins for Keitany and Regassa in Abu Dhabi Half}}</ref> and recording 59:47 minutes for second at the Lisbon Half Marathon behind a world record-beating Zersenay Tadese.<ref name=WR>{{cite news|last=Fernandes|first=Antonio Manuel|date=21 March 2010|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/scorching-5823-world-half-marathon-record-by-1|title=Scorching 58:23 World Half Marathon record by Tadese in Lisbon! – UPDATED|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=30 April 2016}}</ref>
Kitwara is a three-time champion of the Bay to Breakers and the course record holder in that event. In 2009, race organizers reported that his 33:31 was the fastest 12 km ever run.{{#tag:ref|Although Bay to Breakers race organizers reported that this was the fastest 12 km ever run,<ref name="baytobreakers.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.baytobreakers.com/content.php?section=race_information&page=history|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118050751/http://www.baytobreakers.com/content.php?section=race_information&page=history|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 January 2013|title=ING Bay To Breakers – Race History|publisher=Bay to Breakers|accessdate=17 May 2010}}</ref> the International Association of Athletics Federations does not recognise world records or world bests in either an indoor or outdoor 12 km.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/records/inout=O/index.html|title=Records|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=17 May 2010|date=25 August 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525231458/http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/records/inout=O/index.html|archivedate=25 May 2010|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Although the Association of Road Racing Statisticians does recognise a world record in the outdoor 12 km, their record keeping rules state: "A record quality course is defined as having not more than 1 m/km net drop between the start and finish and not more than 30% of the race distance separation between that start and finish, e.g. not more than a 3 km separation for a 10 km race [or 3.6 km for a 12 km race]. Records will only be accepted for record quality courses."<ref name="arrs.net">{{cite web|url=https://www.arrs.run/WG_Rec_ENG.htm|title=Working Group on Road Record|publisher=ARRS|accessdate=17 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arrs.run/rules.php|title=Association of Road Racing Statisticians|publisher=ARRS|accessdate=17 May 2010}}</ref> The Bay to Breakers course does not qualify at a "record quality course" per ARRS standards as the start and finish of the event are approximately 10.5 linear kilometres apart. According to the Association of Road Racing Statisticians, Joseph Kimani of Kenya also ran a 33:31 at the Arts Fest River Run in Evansville, Indiana in 1997;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arrs.run/HP_ArF12.htm|title=Arts Fest River Run 12 km|publisher=ARRS|accessdate=17 May 2010}}</ref> however, Simon Kigen of Kenya holds the 12 km world record with a 33:46 performance in Portland, Oregon in 1985.<ref name="arrs.net"/>|group="nb"}} In 2010, he edged out fellow Kenyan Peter Kirui by less than a second for the victory in 34:15.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://cbs5.com/local/runners.Bay.to.2.1696973.html|title='Peaceful' Bay To Breakers Race Sets New Record|publisher=CBS|date=17 May 2010|accessdate=17 May 2010|archivedate=19 May 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100519124417/http://cbs5.com/local/runners.Bay.to.2.1696973.html|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> He ran a personal best for the 10K at the Utrecht Singelloop in September 2010, finishing as runner-up with a time of 27:11 minutes. This elevated him into the top eight of all time, although race winner Leonard Komon overshadowed this achievement by breaking the world record by a large margin.<ref>{{cite news|date=26 September 2010|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/komon-smashes-through-27-minute-barrier-with|title=Komon smashes through 27-minute barrier with 26:44 run in Utrecht 10Km|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=30 April 2016}}</ref>
Kitwara took his second win at the World's Best 10K in February 2011, becoming one of three men (including Hendrick Ramaala and John Korir) to have won twice in Puerto Rico.<ref>{{cite news|last=Clavelo Robinson|first=Javier|date=28 February 2011|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/kitwara-regains-title-ejigu-notches-victoriou|title=Kitwara regains title, Ejigu notches victorious 10km debut in San Juan|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=30 April 2016}}</ref> He was out-stripped at the City-Pier-City race in March, however, as he came fifth while Lelisa Desisa (whom he had beaten in Puerto Rico) won the race.<ref>{{cite news|last=van Hemert|first=Wim|date=14 March 2011|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/desisa-and-chepcirchir-take-fast-half-maratho|title=Desisa and Chepcirchir take fast Half Marathon wins in The Hague|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=30 April 2016}}</ref> He won his second title at the Peachtree Road Race in July that year. Later that year he ran a 58:48-minute personal best for second place at the Philadelphia Half Marathon, making him the fourth fastest runner ever for the distance.<ref>{{cite news|last=Rosenthal|first=Bert|publisher=IAAF|date=18 September 2011|url= http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/kisorio-blazes-5846-at-philadelphia-half-mara|title=Kisorio blazes 58:46 at Philadelphia Half Marathon, fourth fastest ever|accessdate=30 April 2016}}</ref> He did not reach the same form in November, when he came fourth at the Delhi Half Marathon.<ref>{{cite news|last=Krishnan|first=Ram. Murali|date=27 November 2011|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/in-close-races-desisa-and-kabuu-prevail-in-ne|title=In close races, Desisa and Kabuu prevail in New Delhi Half|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=30 April 2016}}</ref>
He opened 2012 with another win at the World's Best 10K, completing the course in 28:02 minutes.<ref>{{cite news|last=Robinson|first=Javier Clavelo|date=27 February 2012|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=30 April 2016|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/kitwara-and-cheruiyot-run-to-triple-crown-in|title=Kitwara and Cheruiyot run to triple crown in San Juan 10Km}}</ref> He attempted a marathon debut at the Rotterdam Marathon (where he has acted as pacemaker before), but did not finish as he dropped out after 30 km.<ref>{{cite news|last=van Hemert|first=Wim|date=15 April 2012|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/spectacular-double-ethiopian-success-brings-h|title=Spectacular double Ethiopian success brings home 2:04 and 2:18 victories in Rotterdam|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=30 April 2016}}</ref> In October, he was placed fourth at the 2012 Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:05:54 hours.<ref>Chicago Marathon Results (10 October 2012). [http://results.chicagomarathon.com/2012/index.php?content=detail&fpid=list&pid=list&idp=999999107FA30900000B6D5B&lang=EN_CAP&event=MAR&ageclass=]. Chicago Marathon. Retrieved on 10 October 2012.</ref> He won his third straight World's Best 10K title at the beginning of 2013.<ref>{{cite news|last=Robinson|first=Javier Clavelo|date=24 February 2013|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/kitwara-takes-fourth-title-chepkirui-complete|title=Kitwara takes fourth title, Chepkirui complete Kenyan double at World's Best 10K|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=2 March 2013}}</ref> A return to the Rotterdam Marathon saw him complete the distance, although his time of 2:07:22 hours was slower than his last.
At the 2015 London Marathon he came 6th in 2.07.43.
Kitwara won the 2016 Lisbon half marathon in 59.47 some way off his personal best.<ref>{{cite news|last=van Hemert|first=Wim|date=14 April 2013|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/regassa-and-jelagat-triumph-in-rotterdam|title=Regassa and Jelagat triumph in Rotterdam|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=18 April 2013}}</ref>
==Performances== *2008 Nike Hilversum City Run – 1st *2008 Humarathon (half marathon) – 1st *2008 Rabat Half Marathon – 1st *2008 Paris 20K – 1st *2008 Dam tot Damloop (10 Miles) -1st *2009 City-Pier-City Loop (half marathon) – 1st *2009 Peachtree Road Race (10K) – 1st *2009 Bay to Breakers (12K) – 1st *2009 Rotterdam Half Marathon – 1st *2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships – 10th *2010 Abu Dhabi Half Marathon – 2nd *2010 Bay to Breakers (12K) – 1st *2011 World's Best 10k – 1st *2012 World's Best 10k – 1st *2012 Bay to Breakers (Men's 12K) – 1st *2012 Chicago Marathon (marathon) – 4th *2013 World's Best 10k – 1st *2016 Lisbon Half Marathon – 1st *2017 Marathon Valencia Trinidad Alfonso EDP - 1st *2024 Marrakech Marathon - 1st
==Notes== <references group="nb"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{World Athletics}}
{{s-start}} {{s-sports}} {{succession box|title=Men's Dam tot Damloop Winner|before={{flagicon|ERI}} Zersenay Tadese|after={{flagicon|KEN}} Moses Masai|years=2008}} {{succession box|title=Rotterdam Men's Half Marathon Winner|before={{flagicon|KEN}} Patrick Makau |years=2009 |after=Event discontinued}} {{s-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kitwara, Sammy}} Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:Athletes from Elgeyo-Marakwet County Category:Kenyan men long-distance runners Category:Kenyan men marathon runners Category:Taipei Marathon men winners Category:21st-century Kenyan sportsmen