James Kwambai

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

Kwambai went to the Kondabilet Primary School in Marakwet East District, but dropped out at standard seven.^[2]

He won the Marseille-Cassis Classique Internationale in 2002, breaking the course record by over a minute.^[3] In 2006 Kwambai won the Brescia Marathon and Beijing Marathon, which were his first two marathons.^[4] He also won the 2008 and the 2009 Saint Silvester Road Race.

He finished second at the 2008 Berlin Marathon, where Haile Gebrselassie 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.^[5] At the 2009 Rotterdam Marathon Kwambai again finished second (behind Duncan Kibet) in a time of 2:04:27, the third fastest ever marathon at the time.^[6] At the 2010 New York City Marathon he completed the race in 2:11:31, which brought him fifth place.^[7] 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.^[8]

His first race of 2011 was the CPC Loop Den Haag, but he was off the winning pace and came sixth in a time of one hour and one second.^[9] He was among the leaders at the 2011 London Marathon by the 30 km mark, but dropped out of the race.^[10] 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.^[11] He took on the city's other major race, the Seoul International Marathon, in March 2012 and ran his best race in three years, finishing in 2:06:03 hours to take second behind Wilson Loyanae.^[12] 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.^[13]

He was among the fastest entrants at the 2013 Tokyo Marathon, but came fifth a minute and a half behind winner Dennis Kimetto.^[14] 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 to do so).^[15] He ran at the city's other major race, the Seoul International Marathon, in March 2014 but his time of 2:07:38 was only enough for sixth place in a quick race.^[16]

Kwambai prefers road running over track and cross-country. His training partners include Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Martin Lel, Sammy Korir and Fred Kiprop in Eldoret and Italy. Kwambai has been coached by Gabriele Rosa and Claudio Berardelli.^[17][18]

• All results regarding marathon and half marathon