ATHLETE

Samuel Wanjiru

1986 - 2011

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Samuel Kamau Wanjiru (10 November 1986 – 15 May 2011) was a Kenyan long-distance runner who won the 2008 Beijing Olympics Marathon in an Olympic record time of 2:06:32; becoming the first Kenyan to win the Olympic gold in the marathon. He became the youngest gold medallist in the marathon since 1932. He set the current (as of 2020) 10,000m World Junior Record in 2005 and set the half marathon world record 3 times. In 2009, he won both the London Marathon and Chicago Marathon, running the fastest marathons ever recorded in the United Kingdom and United States, respectively. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in 35 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 34 in 2024). Samuel Wanjiru is the 3,143rd most popular athlete (down from 2,411th in 2024), the 71st most popular biography from Kenya (down from 42nd in 2019) and the 47th most popular Kenyan Athlete.

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Among ATHLETES

Among athletes, Samuel Wanjiru ranks 3,143 out of 6,025. Before him are Markus Schmidt, Carol Lewis, Robert de Castella, Mihaela Armășescu, Andrejus Zadneprovskis, and Noah Lyles. After him are Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, Butch Reynolds, Tanyu Kiryakov, Kim Dong-hyeon, Patrick Hürlimann, and Inna Lasovskaya.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1986, Samuel Wanjiru ranks 479. Before him are Erik Jendrišek, Tinchy Stryder, Jeon Boram, Briana Evigan, Paolo De Ceglie, and Marya Roxx. After him are Aaron Hunt, Faye Marsay, Yuki Kotera, Jajá, Vika Jigulina, and Selen Soyder. Among people deceased in 2011, Samuel Wanjiru ranks 506. Before him are Dan Wheldon, Bill Clements, Phoebe Snow, Josef Vašíček, Ahmed Wali Karzai, and Gary Winick. After him are Hana Andronikova, Ruslan Salei, Susana Chávez, Walt Hazzard, DJ Mehdi, and Shahbaz Bhatti.

Others Born in 1986

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In Kenya

Among people born in Kenya, Samuel Wanjiru ranks 71 out of 150. Before him are Julius Korir (1960), Billy Konchellah (1961), Gurinder Chadha (1960), Winfred Yavi (1999), Peter Rono (1967), and Abel Kirui (1982). After him are Moses Tanui (1965), Beatrice Chebet (2000), Vivian Cheruiyot (1983), Michael Olunga (1994), Tegla Loroupe (1973), and Paul Chelimo (1990).

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Among ATHLETES In Kenya

Among athletes born in Kenya, Samuel Wanjiru ranks 47. Before him are Kipkemboi Kimeli (1966), Julius Korir (1960), Billy Konchellah (1961), Winfred Yavi (1999), Peter Rono (1967), and Abel Kirui (1982). After him are Moses Tanui (1965), Beatrice Chebet (2000), Vivian Cheruiyot (1983), Tegla Loroupe (1973), Paul Chelimo (1990), and Saif Saaeed Shaheen (1982).

Kenyan born Athletes

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