NYRR Media Center

Shadrack Kipchirchir will be making his marathon debut in New York eight months after making his half marathon debut here. In March, he was the top American finisher at the United Airlines NYC Half, taking fourth overall in 1:01:16.

Previously in New York, Kipchirchir competed in three consecutive editions of the USATF 5K Championships from 2017-2019, winning the race in 2017, finishing second to Paul Chelimo in a photo-finish in 2018, and finishing fourth in 2019. 

The Kenyan-born American – the middle of nine children – did not have competitive running experience until he moved to the U.S. to run, first for Western Kentucky University and then for Oklahoma State University, where he studied construction engineering and wanted to become a civil engineer. While running collegiately, he earned All-American honors and was the runner-up at the 10,000 meters at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

In October 2014, following in his brother’s footsteps, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and joined the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program.

Kipchirchir was fourth over 10,000 meters at the 2015 Pan American Games and competed in the distance at the World Athletics Championships that same year. He was 19th at Rio Olympics in a season-best time of 27:58.32, had a ninth-place showing in the 10,000 meters at the 2017 World Athletics Championships in a personal-best time of 27:07.55, and was 10th over that distance at the 2019 World Championships. He has also won the U.S. national cross-country title twice in the last three years.

His wife, Elvin Kibet, is also a professional runner, and they had their first child together this spring.