Isaac Kimeli

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Isaac Kimeli

| image = 131208-024 - Isaac Kimeli 2013.jpg

| caption = Kimeli in 2013

| headercolor =

| nationality = Kenyan-Belgian

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1994|3|9|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Uasin Gishu County, Kenya{{cite web |title=Isaac Kimeli Palmares |url=https://www.atletiek.be/competitie/topsporters/individueel-palmares-topsporters/isaac-kimeli-palmares |website=Vlaamse Atletiek Liga |publisher=Vlaamse Atletiek Liga |access-date=8 March 2021 |language=nl |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308122710/https://www.atletiek.be/competitie/topsporters/individueel-palmares-topsporters/isaac-kimeli-palmares |archive-date=8 March 2021}}

| height = 1.75 m

| weight = 59 kg

| education =

| country = Belgium

| sport = Athletics

| event = Middle-, Long-distance running

| coach = Tim Moriau (–2024){{Cite web |date=2024-12-09 |title=Isaac Kimeli liep naar 4e plaats op EK zonder coach: "Hij heeft me zelfs geen berichtje meer gestuurd" |url=https://sporza.be/nl/2024/12/08/isaac-kimeli-liep-naar-4e-plaats-op-ek-zonder-coach-hij-heeft-me-zelfs-geen-berichtje-meer-gestuurd~1733663543122/ |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=Sporza |language=Dutch |trans-title=Isaac Kimeli finished 4th at the European Championships without a coach: "He didn't even send me a message anymore"}}

| pb =

| medaltemplates =

{{Medal|Country|{{flagu|Belgium}}}}

}}

Isaac Kimeli (born 9 March 1994{{cite web |title=Isaac KIMELI – Athlete Profile |url=https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/belgium/isaac-kimeli-14482919 |website=World Athletics |access-date=2021-01-01}} in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya) is a Kenyan born Belgian middle- and long-distance runner.

Kimeli won one Diamond League meeting, securing victory in the 5000 m at the 2019 Memorial Van Damme in Brussels (promotional event) with a personal best of 13:13.02.

Training and personal life

When Kimeli was four years old, his mother migrated from their home county of Uasin Gishu in Kenya to Belgium to work as a nurse. Kimeli was left in the care of his grand-parents for ten years. At age 15 he was finally reunited with this mother in Belgium. It was there that his PE teachers encouraged him to join a track club.{{cite web |title=From not speaking the language to competing for the national team at Tokyo 2020, Belgian runner Isaac Kimeli is aiming for gold |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/20/sport/isaac-kimeli-profile-spt-intl/index.html |publisher=CNN |access-date=18 August 2024 |date=20 July 2021 }}

Career

In 2011, Kimeli competed in his first international competition at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Trabzon, Turkey.

Two years later, Kimeli won his first international medal by winning a silver at the junior 2013 European Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.{{cite web |title=Third time lucky for Duarte at European Cross as Bezabeh regains title |url=https://worldathletics.org/news/report/european-cross-country-championships-duarte-b |publisher=World Athletics |access-date=18 August 2024 |date=8 December 2013 }} This was soon followed by a gold medal at the Under-23 2016 European Cross Country Championships in Chia, Italy,{{cite web |title=Kimeli strikes gold as Italy claim team title |url=https://www.european-athletics.com/news/mum-the-word-kimeli-strikes-gold |publisher=European Athletics Association |access-date=18 August 2024 |date=11 December 2016 }} and 2 silver medals (one individual, one team) and a bronze at the senior level 2018,{{cite web |title=ISAAC KIMELI RUNS HIS WAY TO A EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP MEDAL |url=https://focusonbelgium.be/en/sport/isaac-kimeli-runs-his-way-european-championship-medal |website=www.focusonbelgium.be |access-date=18 August 2024 |date=19 December 2018 }} 2019{{cite web |title=Can retains title while Fsiha breaks through at European Cross in Lisbon |url=https://worldathletics.org/news/report/european-cross-country-2019-lisbon-can-fsiha |publisher=World Athletics |access-date=18 August 2024 |date=8 December 2019 }} and 2022 European Cross Country Championships{{cite web |title=Norwegian double as Ingebrigtsen and Grovdal retain European cross titles |url=https://worldathletics.org/news/report/european-cross-country-2022-ingebrigtsen-grovdal |publisher=World Athletics |access-date=18 August 2024 |date=11 December 2022 }} resp. He picked up another silver medal with the Belgium men's team at the 2024 European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, Turkey.{{cite web|url=https://www.european-athletics.com/news/ingebrigstsen-wins-third-senior-title-in-dominant-style-in-antalya-2024-|website=European Athletics|access-date=10 December 2024|title= Ingebrigtsen wins third senior title in dominant style in Antalya 2024|date=8 December 2024}}

On the track, Kimeli earned a silver in the 5000 metres at the 2015 European Athletics U23 Championships and in the 3000 metres at the 2021 European Athletics Indoor Championships.{{cite web |title=Kimeli doet er nog een Belgische medaille bij op EK indoor: zilver op 3.000 meter |url=https://sporza.be/nl/2021/03/07/kimeli-doet-er-nog-een-belgische-medaille-bij-op-ek-indoor-zilver-op-3000-meter~1615135957228/ |publisher=Sporza |access-date=8 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308121939/https://sporza.be/nl/2021/03/07/kimeli-doet-er-nog-een-belgische-medaille-bij-op-ek-indoor-zilver-op-3000-meter~1615135957228/ |archive-date=8 March 2021 |language=nl |date=7 March 2021}}

Kimeli represented Belgium at the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan resp. Paris, France, his best result a 8th place in the final of the men's 5000 metres in Paris.{{cite web |title=Isaac Kimeli imponeert met 8e plaats op de 5.000 meter: "Ik had het zelf niet verwacht" |url=https://sporza.be/nl/2024/08/10/isaac-kimeli-imponeert-met-8e-plaats-op-de-5000-meter-ik-had-het-zelf-niet-verwacht~1723313311962/ |publisher=Sporza |access-date=18 August 2024 |language=nl |date=10 August 2024}}