Wilson Kipketer
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Wilson Kipketer (born December 12, 1972 in Kapchemoyiwo, Kenya into the Kalenjin tribe) is a middle distance runner. He has set world records at both the 800 and 1000 metre distances.
As a teenager, Kipketer was first noticed by 1968 and 1972 Olympic champion Kip Keino. Keino suggested Kipketer attend the catholic St. Patrick's High School in Iten that was famous for bringing up young runners.
In 1990, Kipketer travelled to Denmark as a foreign exchange student, studying electronic engineering at the Copenhagen University. He liked Denmark so much that he applied for Danish citizenship. Kipketer competed for Denmark in the 1995 World Championships. It was there that he claimed his first World Championship title in the 800 metres.
However, Kipketer was not a full citizen, and in 1996 the International Olympic Committee disallowed him from competing for Denmark in the Olympic Games in Atlanta, USA.
In 1997 Kipketer gained international recognition when he tied Sebastian Coe's World Record for the 800 metres. He went on to break the record two times that year, the second time running 1 minute 41.11 seconds. The same year saw him winning 800m gold at the Indoor World Championships in Paris, France with an indoor world record time of 1:42.67 and the 1997 World Championships in Athletics at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece.
The following season, Kipketer contracted malaria and was unable to race. But he came back in 1999 by finishing second at the Indoor World Championships and bettering that with a gold medal at the World Championship. Then in 2000, he broke the world indoor record in the 1000 metres by running a 2:14.96. In the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Kipketer took silver in the 800 metres.
Despite fighting injuries, Kipketer continued to compete through the 2003 season gaining a silver medal at the Indoor World Championships at the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England but only managing fourth place at the World Championships later that year. In the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens,Greece Kipketer took a bronze medal in the 800 metres.
He married his Danish girlfriend Pernille in 2000.da:Wilson Kipketer de:Wilson Kipketer et:Wilson Kipketer it:Wilson Kipketer nl:Wilson Kipketer ja:ウィルソン・キプケテル