Paul Chelimo USA

At the Rio 2016 Olympics, Paul Chelimo became the first U.S. athlete since 1964 to medal in the 5000 meters when he took silver behind Great Britain’s Mo Farah in a then-personal best time of 13:03.90. The month prior, he took third in the distance at the U.S. Olympic Trials, beating Eric Jenkins to the line by sixth-hundredths of a second to qualify for Rio.

At the 2018 USATF 5K Championships and Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K in New York, Chelimo won the men's race in 13:45, taking one second off the former course record that was set by Nick Willis in 2013.

Earlier in 2018, Chelimo won the 3000 meters at the USATF Indoor Championships but was then disqualified in his heat at the IAAF World Indoor Championships. He also ran a personal best 12:57.55 in the Brussels Diamond League meeting and finished his track season in September with a 3000-meter win at the IAAF Continental Cup.

In 2019, he made his half-marathon debut at the United Airlines NYC Half, taking third in 1:02:19. A record eight American men finished in the top 10 in the open division, as Chelimo was followed by Jared Ward, Noah Droddy, Brogan Austin, Tim Ritchie, John Raneri, Parker Stinson, and Ben True, respectively.

Chelimo previously represented the U.S. in the 3000 meters at the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, OR, after taking second place in the distance on the same track a week earlier at the USATF Indoor Championships.

A native of Iten, Kenya, Chelimo has three brothers and one sister. He moved to the U.S. in 2010 to attend Shorter College in Rome, GA. In 2011, he transferred to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After graduating, he attained his U.S. citizenship in 2014 by joining the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, training while serving as a water treatment specialist. He finished college as a World University Games silver medalist, a two-time NCAA 5000-meter runner-up, and a five-time NCAA All-American. He aspires to one day become a water treatment specialist in Kenya.

  • Date of Birth Oct 27, 1990
  • Age 33
  • Gender Man
  • Country USA
  • Residence Colorado Springs, CO, USA

RACE HISTORY

Career Highlights

Year Event Place Time
2017 IAAF World Championships 5000 meters 3rd 13:33.30
 2017  USATF Championships 5000 meters  1st  13:08.62 
 2016  Rio Olympic 5000 meters  2nd 13:03.90 
 2016  U.S. Olympic Trials 5000 meters  3rd 13:35.92  
  2016  IAAF World Indoor Championships 3000 meters  7th 8:00.76  

NYRR RACE HISTORY

Year Event Place Time
2021 2021 Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K and USATF 5K Championships 16 0:14:08
2021 2021 New Balance 5th Avenue Mile 15 0:04:00
2019 2019 United Airlines NYC Half 3 1:02:19
2018 2018 Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K and USATF 5K Championships 1 0:13:45
2017 2017 USATF 5K Championships 4 0:13:58

Photos

Please read the below terms & conditions

All images, trademarks and logos ("Content") are protected by United States and international copyright laws and treaties. New York Road Runners, Inc. ("NYRR") and/or the various photographers who provide images to NYRR ("Contributors") own or control all rights, including the copyrights in and to the images. NYRR and/or its Contributors reserve all rights in and to the Content not expressly granted to you by the terms herein.

 

You have a limited, non-exclusive, and non-transferable license to use the Content for Editorial Use only, as long as such use does not imply an endorsement or sponsorship relationship between a third-party and NYRR. "Editorial Use" means the use of an image for editorial, factual, educational, news, informational and/or historical purposes, including in order to depict persons, places or event of public interest. You cannot use the Content for any advertising, marketing or promotional material, nor can you use it for any "advertorial" purposes (i.e., using them in sections or supplements for which you receive pay or a fee). Defamatory, libelous or otherwise unlawful use of the Content is prohibited.

 

With respect to Your right to make Editorial Use of the Content, You may only publish, display, transmit, broadcast such Content if and to the extent that the depiction or inclusion of any names, personalities, trademarks, service marks, logos, registered or unregistered copyrighted designs or works of authorship (collectively, "Subject Matter") included in such Content constitutes "fair use" (as such term is defined by the laws of the United States) in the jurisdiction in which You publish, display, transmit and/or broadcast such Content. To the extent Your intended use of Subject Matter is not Editorial Use or not protected by "fair use" (or similar doctrines in other jurisdictions) in the jurisdiction where You intend to use the Content that depicts or includes such Subject Matter, Your right to use such Content is conditioned upon Your first obtaining all necessary permissions, licenses, clearances and/or releases for Your intended use. You shall ensure that NYRR and its Contributors are beneficiaries of such permissions, licenses, clearances and/or releases, and You shall indemnify and hold NYRR and its Contributors free and harmless from any claims arising from Your use of the Content that are brought or asserted from any person or entity alleging rights in or to the Subject Matter. You are solely responsible for determining whether or not "fair use" or similar doctrines apply in various jurisdictions and/or whether any permissions, licenses, clearances and/or releases are required in connection with any proposed use of the Content. If You are unsure, You are responsible for contacting competent legal counsel.

Just Added to Your Cart

2017 United Airlines NYC Half

Time Out

Your session has timed out due to inactivity.