Dennis Kipruto Kimetto

Who is Dennis Kipruto Kimetto?

Dennis Kipruto Kimetto or Dennis Kipruto Koech is a Kenyan long distance runner who competes in road running events. He is the world record holder at the 25 km road distance, having won the 2012 BIG 25 Berlin race in 71:18 minutes.

Hailing from Eldoret and part of a training group including Geoffrey Mutai, Kimetto's first major win came in the half marathon section of the Nairobi Marathon in 2011. Running as Dennis Koech, he topped the podium in a time of 61:30 minutes. He quickly rose into the global running elite in his first outings outside of Kenya. At the RAK Half Marathon he defeated a field including Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich to win the race in 60:40 minutes. His age was misreported as ten years younger and his following run of 59:14 minutes to win the Berlin Half Marathon in April was briefly considered a world junior best. An erroneous passport was the cause of both the age difference and the Koech misnomer, his surname actually being Kimetto. This was rectified in later competitions.

With his personal data corrected, he went on to break his first major record at the BIG 25 Berlin.