Can Kenya's Kibiwott Kandie finally realize his potential at the 2024 Berlin Marathon?
In 2000, the Kenyan ran a half marathon world record of 57:32 minutes in Valencia and will be looking to show his capability when he lines up for only his third marathon in Berlin on 29 September.
Athletics
Kibiwott Kandie is no stranger to running fast over long distances.
The Kenyan is one of only seven men to ever complete a half marathon in under 58 minutes, with his personal best of 57:32. He won the Valencia half marathon three times, including when he set the world record in 2020, and he’s also among the fastest ever men over the 10km.
Kandie is a versatile runner who effectively splits his running between the track, doing the 10,000m, and the roads, specializing in the 21km and the marathon.
With his dream to represent his nation on track in the Olympics twice at Tokyo 2020 in 2021 and Paris 2024 shattered, it left behind a glimmer in marathon.
He hasn’t raced since last May when he failed to make the Olympics team despite improving his personal best in the 10,000m to 26:58.97.
Kandie, who opened his season winning the Barcelona half marathon last February, lines up for only his third career marathon on 29 September in Berlin seeking to follow the footsteps of his role model, Paul Tergat.
Kibiwott Kandie on drawing inspiration from compatriot Paul Tergat
As a young boy in Baringo, in the heart of Rift Valley region, in the west of Kenya, he grew up hearing stories about village hero Tergat - how fast he was and being one of the country’s greatest ever long-distance runners.
When the Olympic 10,000m silver medallist ran one of his most memorable performances at Sydney 2000, Kandie was only four years old.
But when he could finally understand Tergat’s magnitude of greatness, he was captivated by the name synonymous with winning titles on cross country, track, and on the roads.
“When I was young, I used to hear everyone saying, ‘Paul Tergat, world records’. This has stayed in my mind’,” Kandie, who estimates he ran nearly 30km every day to his primary school and back home for lunch, told World Athletics.
“He became a kind of role model and I used to think ‘When I grow up I would like to be like him, I would like to run like him, I would like to do the things he has done.’ He still inspires me, he’s still a role model for me. The work that I am doing (in training) is because of him. I feel I can’t let him down because one time when I met him, he said to me: ‘You can follow me, you can follow in my footsteps’.”
Kandie's athletics path was an unconventional one - he aimed straight for the roads. He started running competitively when he was 22, though his budding love for long distance running blossomed into a passion while in high school.
To date he's won eight of the 10 half marathons he’s run since 2019 and has also made the podium in his nine road races.
And the desire to be like his running hero inspired him to the world record he set four years ago at the Valencia half marathon.
2024 Berlin Marathon: A chance for Kibiwott Kandie to shine
However, his international career for Kenya may not mirror his mentor’s success. The Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medallist only has the silver from the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships.
His path has been filled with disappointments, setbacks, and ultimately, redemption.
After a fifth place finish at the World Cross Country Championships, which Tergat won for a record fifth time in a row, Kandie’s career showed signs of nearing world and Olympic status. But he was forced to skip Tokyo Olympics and the worlds last year, due to injury.
The 28-year-old who bases his training in Ngong hills north of the capital Nairobi, was gutted when he failed to make the 10,000m team to Paris 2024. He really wants to make his mark in the marathon distance after two top ten finishes. Kandie finished ninth in his debut in on the hilly New York course in 2021, and was sixth in Valencia last year.
Kibiwott Kandie celebrates his 10,000m bronze medal from the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The 2024 Berlin Marathon offers him a chance to make a name for himself on the fast 42km course, some 21 years since his role model Tergat became the first man to go under 2:05, with his world record of 2:04:55.
With an impressive time of 2:04:48, he's one of the six elites in this year’s race who have already run under 2:05:00. Tadese Takele from Ethiopia, returning to third last year behind Eliud Kipchoge, is the fastest of the men’s field with his best of 2:03:24.
But with an admirable half marathon personal best of 57:32, Kandie has all it takes to also become one of the fastest marathoners ever.
Berlin Marathon men winners over the last 10 years
- 2023: Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya, 2:02:42
- 2022: Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya, 2:01:09, WR
- 2021: Guye Adola, Ethiopia, 2:05:45
- 2020: Cancelled due to Covid
- 2019: Kenenisa Bekele, Ethiopia, 2:01:49
- 2018: Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya, 2:01:39, WR
- 2017: Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya, 2:03:32
- 2016: Kenenisa Bekele, Ethiopia, 2:03:03
- 2015: Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya, 2:04:00
- 2014: Dennis Kimetto, Kenya, 2:02:57 WR