James Kipsang Kwambai (born February 28, 1983) is a runner from

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi ...

, who specialises in

marathons The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...

. He is a former Kenyan record holder in the event, with his personal best of 2:04:27 hours in 2009. At the time this made him the second fastest runner ever, behind

Haile Gebrselassie Haile Gebrselassie ( am, ኀይሌ ገብረ ሥላሴ, ''haylē gebre silassē''; born 18 April 1973) is an Ethiopian retired long-distance track, road running athlete, and businessman. He won two Olympic gold medals and four World Champion ...

Biography

Kwambai went to the Kondabilet Primary School in Marakwet East District, but dropped out at standard seven. He won the

Marseille-Cassis Classique Internationale The Marseille-Cassis Classique Internationale is an annual half marathon which follows a course from Marseille to Cassis in France during the last weekend in October. It has the silver label of the IAAF Road Race Label Events and is thus among the ...

in 2002, breaking the course record by over a minute.Historique Il était une fois …
. Marseille-Cassis. Retrieved on 24 April 2016. In 2006 Kwambai won the

Brescia Marathon Brescia (, locally ; lmo, link=no, label= Lombard, Brèsa ; lat, Brixia; vec, Bressa) is a city and ''comune'' in the region of Lombardy, Northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Garda and Iseo ...

and

Beijing Marathon The Beijing Marathon () is an annual marathon race held around October in Beijing, People's Republic of China, since 1981. The race begins at Tiananmen Square and finishes in Celebration Square in Olympic Green. The full marathon is the onl ...

, which were his first two marathons. He also won the 2008 and the 2009

Saint Silvester Road Race The Saint Silvester Road Race ( pt, Corrida Internacional de São Silvestre) is a long-distance running event, the oldest and most prestigious street race in Brazil. Regarded as the main international event in Latin American athletics, the Brazi ...

. He finished second at the 2008

Berlin Marathon The Berlin Marathon (german: Berlin-Marathon, ) is a marathon event held annually on the streets of Berlin, Germany on the last weekend of September. Held annually since 1974, the event includes multiple races over the marathon distance of , inc ...

, where

set a new marathon world record. Kwambai's time was 2:05:36, that made him the seventh fastest ever marathon runner at the time. At the 2009

Rotterdam Marathon The Rotterdam Marathon, currently branded NN Rotterdam Marathon, is an annual marathon that has been held in Rotterdam, Netherlands since 1981. It has been held in April every year since the third edition in 1984 and attracts many top athletes ...

Kwambai again finished second (behind Duncan Kibet) in a time of 2:04:27, the third fastest ever marathon at the time. At the 2010 New York City Marathon he completed the race in 2:11:31, which brought him fifth place. He returned to defend his title at the Saint Silvester race in São Paulo but ended up in third place behind Marílson dos Santos and

Barnabas Kosgei Barnabas (; arc, ܒܪܢܒܐ; grc, Βαρνάβας), born Joseph () or Joses (), was according to tradition an early Christian, one of the prominent Christian disciples in Jerusalem. According to Acts 4:36, Barnabas was a Cypriot Jew. Name ...

. His first race of 2011 was the

CPC Loop Den Haag The CPC Loop Den Haag (abbreviated for ''City-Pier-City Loop'') is an annual half marathon competition held in the Hague, Netherlands, every mid-March. The inaugural edition was held in 1975 and featured a 14.5 km course. This was extended to ...

, but he was off the winning pace and came sixth in a time of one hour and one second. He was among the leaders at the 2011 London Marathon by the 30 km mark, but dropped out of the race. In August he came second at the Rio de Janeiro Half Marathon, but was eighth at the Udine Half Marathon the following month, finishing well off his best in 1:02:06 hours. His season peaked in November when he took the title at the JoongAng Seoul Marathon in a time of 2:08:50 hours, despite rainy conditions. He took on the city's other major race, the

Seoul International Marathon The Seoul International Marathon, also known as the ''Dong-A Ilbo Seoul Marathon or Seoul Marathon'' is an annual marathon race that takes place in Seoul, South Korea. It is one of two annual races over the 42.195 km classic distance in the ...

, in March 2012 and ran his best race in three years, finishing in 2:06:03 hours to take second behind Wilson Loyanae. In November he competed at the 2012 JoongAng Seoul Marathon, won it convincingly and broke the course record by 2:23 minutes, with a time of 2:05:50 hours. He was among the fastest entrants at the

2013 Tokyo Marathon The 2013 Tokyo Marathon ( ja, 東京マラソン 2013) was the seventh edition of the annual marathon race in Tokyo, Japan and was held on Sunday, 24 February. An IAAF Gold Label Road Race, it was the first World Marathon Majors event to be hel ...

, but came fifth a minute and a half behind winner Dennis Kimetto. He was back in form in Seoul in November as he won in 2:06:25 hours for third straight victory at the race (the first person ever to do so). He ran at the city's other major race, the

, in March 2014 but his time of 2:07:38 was only enough for sixth place in a quick race. Kwambai prefers

road running Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road. This differs from track and field on a regular track and cross country running over natural terrain. These events are usually classified as long-distance ...

over track and cross-country. His training partners include

Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot Robert "Mwafrika" Kipkoech Cheruiyot (born 26 September 1978 in Kapsabet, Kenya), sometimes known as Omar Ahmed, is a Kenyan marathon runner and is the former record holder and four-time winner of the Boston Marathon. Early career Cheruiy ...

Martin Lel Martin Kiptolo Lel (born 29 October 1978) is a Kenyan professional long distance and marathon runner. He won the London Marathon in 2005, 2007, and 2008, the New York City Marathon in 2003 and 2007 and the Great North Run in 2007 and 2009. His p ...

Sammy Korir Sammy Korir (born December 12, 1971) is a long distance runner from Kenya. Biography Korir was born in Kiboswa village, Nandi county of Rift Valley province, Kenya. In 2003 he finished second in Berlin Marathon with a time of 2:04:56, just one s ...

and

Fred Kiprop Fred Kiprop Kiptum (born June 3, 1974) is a male long-distance runner from Kenya, who won the Amsterdam Marathon The Amsterdam Marathon (branded Tata Consultancy Services, TCS Amsterdam Marathon for sponsorship reasons) is an annual marathon (42. ...

in Eldoret and

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

. Kwambai has been coached by

Gabriele Rosa Gabriele is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name Surname * Al Gabriele, American comic book artist *Angel Gabriele (1956–2016), American comic book artist * Corrado Gabriele (born 1966), Italian poli ...

and Claudio Berardelli.

Achievements

*All results regarding marathon and half marathon

References

External links

*
Marathoninfo profileWorld Marathon Majors profileRosa & Associati
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kwambai, James 1983 births Living people People from Elgeyo-Marakwet County Kenyan male long-distance runners Kenyan male marathon runners