- Mike Kigen
-
Medal record Men's athletics Competitor for 
KenyaAfrican Championships Silver 2006 Bambous 5000 m Silver 2006 Bambous 10,000 m World Cup Silver 2006 Athens 5000 m Mike Kipruto Kigen (born 15 January 1986) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in the 5000 metres.
Kigen was born in Keiyo District. He graduated in 2005 from the Simotwo High School in Ainabkoi, Keiyo District, a school which was also attended by professional runners such as William Biwott, Collins Kosgei, and Kalphys Kemboi.
Kigen's breakthrough year came in 2006 when he represented Kenya internationally at three competitions. He was fifth at the 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships – a placing that brought him a gold medal with the Kenyans in the team competition. He set a personal best of 12:58.58 in the 5000 metres at the Bislett Games in Oslo and became the national champion over the distance.[1]
This earned him selection for the 2006 African Championships in Athletics in Bambous, where he scored a silver medal in his preferred distance before going on to win another silver through a personal best of 28:03.70 in the 10,000 metres event. He was not as successful at the 2006 IAAF World Athletics Final, taking seventh in the 5000 m, but his track form returned at the 2006 IAAF World Cup as he took his second 5000 m silver of the year representing Africa.[1] His career was then disrupted at the end of the season by a severe knee injury in November.[2]
He returned to competition in 2007, but it was in 2008 that he began to regain his form. He won the Great Capital Run in July 2008, recording a course record of 28:42 minutes.[1] At the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final he ran in the 3000 metres and took fourth place. The following year he attended the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final (the last edition of the event) and was eleventh over 5000 m.[3]
He started the 2010 cross country running season well, with win at the IAAF permit meeting Antrim International Cross Country and the Crosse Oeust-France.[2] He followed this with another win at the San Sebastián Cross Country but he was not selected for the Kenyan team for the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.[1] He set a best of 28:09 over 10 km at the Parelloop race in Brunssum in March, coming fourth behind Berhanu Delale. He ran at the Grand 10 Berlin in October and took second place in largely Kenyan affair, finishing with a new personal best of 27:25 for the 10K distance.[4] He returned to the cross country circuit in November, taking third at both the Tuskys Cross Country meet in Kenya and Cross de l'Acier in France.[5][6] He also won in Antrim the following January, retaining his title.[7]
He was not included in the Kenyan World Cross Country squad and ran his half marathon debut instead at the Lisbon Half Marathon, coming fifth with a time of 1:00:49.[8] Following this he was runner-up to Micah Kogo at the Parelloop in April.[9]
He is based at the PACE Sports Management training camp in Kaptagat.
Achievements
Year Competition Venue Position Notes 2006 World Cross Country Championships Fukuoka, Japan 5th Long race 1st Team competition African Championships Bambous, Mauritius 2nd 5000 m 2nd 10,000 m, 28:03.70 PB World Athletics Final Stuttgart, Germany 7th 5000 m World Cup Athens, Greece 2nd 5000 m Personal bests
- 3000 metres - 7:35.87 min (2006)
- 5000 metres - 12:58.58 min (2006)
- 10,000 metres - 28:03.70 min (2006)
References
- ^ a b c d Mike Kigen. PACE Sports Management. Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
- ^ a b Duffy, Coilin (2010-01-23). Cullen and Kigen take the spoils in muddy Antrim. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-01-25.
- ^ Kigen, Mike. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
- ^ Komon on fire – 27:12 in Berlin. IAAF (2010-10-10). Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
- ^ Macharia, David (2010-11-22). Cheruiyot and Rotich prevail at Tuskys Cross Country. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
- ^ Ramsak, Bob (2010-11-29). Ebuya and Masai take comfortable victories at Cross de l’Acier. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-11-29.
- ^ Duffy, Coilin (2011-01-22). Kigen repeats in foggy Antrim. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-01-22.
- ^ Fernandes, Antonio Manuel (2011-03-20). Tadese blazes 58:30 in Lisbon, second fastest Half Marathon ever. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-20.
- ^ van Hemert, Wim (2011-04-03). Kogo runs 27:15 on the roads in Brunssum. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-04-09.
External links
- IAAF profile for Mike Kigen
- The Standard, August 12, 2006: Silver gives Kigen self belief to beat Bekele
Categories:- 1986 births
- Living people
- People from Keiyo District
- Kenyan long-distance runners
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