- Daniel Komen
-
Medal record Men's Athletics Competitor for Kenya World Championships Gold 1997 Athens 5,000 m Daniel Kipngetich Komen (born May 17, 1976 in Elgeyo-Marakwet District, Kenya)[1] is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner. Remembered for his rivalry with Haile Gebrselassie, Komen's most notable achievements came in a two-year period between 1996 and 1998, during which he broke a string of world records.[2] Komen's 1998 indoor and 1996 outdoor records for 3,000m still stand, and he remains the only man to run back-to-back sub-four-minute miles.[2] Komen was also also the second man, after Saïd Aouita, to break both the 13-minute mark for the 5,000m and the 3½-minute mark for the 1,500m.[citation needed]
Contents
Early life
Komen is from the Keiyo sub-tribe of Kalenjin people and grew up in a rural area of Kenya's Rift Valley Province.[2] One of fourteen children,[3] Komen began running at the age of seven as a means of getting to and from school.[2] Komen had an exceptional junior career: at age 17, he placed second at the World Junior Cross Country Championships, and in 1994, he became the World Junior Champion in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters.
Rise to prominence
Komen first appeared in the senior ranks in 1994 when he won a place on Kenya's 10,000m team for the 1994 Commonwealth Games, later that same year helping pace Moses Kiptanui to a 5,000m record.[4]
Two years later, Komen began to dominate the 5,000m.[5] On September 1, 1996 in Rieti, Italy, Komen ran a spectacular world record time of 7:20.67 in the 3000 metres, breaking Noureddine Morceli's former record by 4.44 seconds.
A year later, Komen made history again. In Hechtel, Belgium, Komen became the first (and so far only) man to run two miles in under eight minutes, clocking a world record 7:58.61.[6] Just seven months later, at an Australian athletics meet in Sydney, Komen ran another 7:58, missing his world record by 0.30 seconds.
In August 1997 he broke the 5000m world record and took two seconds off of Haile Gebrselassie's best to bring it to 12:39.74.
Only twelve days after the previous world record of 7:26.15 was set by Haile Gebrselassie, Komen broke the indoor 3,000-metre record with a time of 7:24.90, set in Budapest on February 6, 1998. This mark is still referred to as "Mount Everest"[7] in athletics circles and has been bettered only twice outdoors, one of them being Komen's own world record. Kenenisa Bekele believes that breaking Komen's record is only "possible on a special day if the pace is good and if everything else also is perfect."[8]
Other accolades include being the 1997 World Championships in Athletics and 1998 Commonwealth Games 5,000-meter champion. He won the 5000 metres race at the 1998 IAAF World Cup.[9]
Out of the limelight since the late 1990s, Komen now serves as chairman of the Keiyo North Rift Athletics Association, and as co-director of a private school with his wife, Joyce.[2]
Personal records
Daniel Komen's personal records, and their place on the world ranking of all times, unless otherwise noted. All times and placings are taken from Komen's IAAF bio (as of August 2011[update]):
Distance Time All-Time Rank Date Place 1500 Meters 3:29.46 12th August 16, 1997 Monaco 1 Mile 3:46.38 5th August 26, 1997 Berlin 2000 Meters 4:51.30 9th June 5, 1998 Milano 3000 Meters (outdoor) 7:20.67 World Record September 1, 1996 Rieti 3000 Meters (indoor) 7:24.90 World Record February 6, 1998 Budapest 2 Miles 7:58.61 World Record July 19, 1997[10] Hechtel 5000 Meters 12:39.74 3rd August 22, 1997 Brussels 10,000 Meters 27:38.32 532* August 30, 2002 Brussels Achievements
Year Competition Venue Position Notes Representing Kenya 1994 World Junior Championships Lisbon, Portugal 1st 5,000 m 1st 10,000 m Notes
- ^ Matt Fitzgerald (March 2011 issue). "What Ever Happened To Daniel Komen?". Competitor Magazine. http://running.competitor.com/2011/05/features/what-ever-happened-to-daniel-komen_27486. Komen is rumoured to be three years older than officially recognised.
- ^ a b c d e Matt Fitzgerald (March 2011 issue). "What Ever Happened To Daniel Komen?". Competitor Magazine. http://running.competitor.com/2011/05/features/what-ever-happened-to-daniel-komen_27486. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
- ^ Tanser (2001), p. 186.
- ^ Tanser (2001), p. 185. Komen himself set a world junior record of 12:56.15 as Kiptanui's pace-maker.
- ^ Tanser (2001), p. 185.
- ^ See here for Komen's lap splits: Professor Tom Michalik. "THE EIGHT MINUTE TWO-MILE!!". Personal web page. http://faculty.randolphcollege.edu/tmichalik/8min.htm. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ "Bekele to hit the boards for the first time in Stuttgart". IAAF. January 29, 2004. http://www.iaaf.org/news/printer,newsid=23938.htmx. Retrieved August 13, 2011. See paragraph 12 of the article.
- ^ "Bekele gunning for 3000 WR, while Swedish stars share the spotlight - Stockholm preview". IAAF.org. February 20, 2007. http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=37669.html. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
- ^ gbrathletics.com: IAAF WORLD CUP IN ATHLETICS
- ^ World Records and Best Performances
Bibliography
- Tanser, Toby (2001) [1997]. Train Hard, Win Easy: The Kenyan Way (2nd ed.). Mountain View: Tafnews Press. ISBN 0-911521-60-7.
External links
- IAAF profile for Daniel Komen
- Kimbia Athletics profile (archive.org)
- Video recording of Komen's outdoor 3,000m record
Records Preceded by
Noureddine MorceliMen's 3000 m World Record Holder
September 1, 1996 – presentSucceeded by
IncumbentPreceded by
Haile GebrselassieMen's 5000 m World Record Holder
August 22, 1997 – June 13, 1998Succeeded by
Haile GebrselassieSporting positions Preceded by
Moses KiptanuiMen's 3000 m Best Year Performance
1996Succeeded by
Haile GebrselassiePreceded by
Haile GebrselassieMen's 5000 m Best Year Performance
1996 – 1997Succeeded by
Haile GebrselassieWorld Champions in Men's 5000 m 1983: Eamonn Coghlan (IRL) • 1987: Saïd Aouita (MAR) • 1991: Yobes Ondieki (KEN) • 1993: Ismael Kirui (KEN) • 1995: Ismael Kirui (KEN) • 1997: Daniel Komen (KEN) • 1999: Salah Hissou (MAR) • 2001: Richard Limo (KEN) • 2003: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) • 2005: Benjamin Limo (KEN) • 2007: Bernard Lagat (USA) • 2009: Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) • 2011: Mohammed Farah (GBR)
Commonwealth Champions in Men's 5000 m 1930 – 1966: 3 miles • 1970 – 2006: 5000 metres 1930: Stan Tomlin (ENG) • 1934: Wally Beavers (ENG) • 1938: Cecil Matthews (NZL) • 1950: Len Eyre (ENG) • 1954: Christopher Chataway (ENG) • 1958: Murray Halberg (NZL) • 1962: Murray Halberg (NZL) • 1966: Kipchoge Keino (KEN) • 1970: Ian Stewart (SCO) • 1974: Ben Jipcho (KEN) • 1978: Henry Rono (KEN) • 1982: David Moorcroft (ENG) • 1986: Steve Ovett (ENG) • 1990: Andrew Lloyd (AUS) • 1994: Robert Denmark (ENG) • 1998: Daniel Komen (KEN) • 2002: Sammy Kipketer (KEN) • 2006: Augustine Kiprono Choge (KEN) • 2010: Moses Ndiema Kipsiro (UGA)
IAAF World / Continental Cup Champions in Men's 5000 m 1977: Miruts Yifter (ETH) • 1979: Miruts Yifter (ETH) • 1981: Eamonn Coghlan (IRL) • 1985: Doug Padilla (USA) • 1989: Saïd Aouita (MAR) • 1992: Fita Bayisa (ETH) • 1994: Brahim Lahlafi (MAR) • 1998: Daniel Komen (KEN) • 2002: Alberto García (ESP) • 2006: Saif Saaeed Shaheen (QAT) • 2010: Bernard Lagat (USA)
Australian National Champions in Men's 5000 m 1930 – 1965: 3 miles • 1966 – 2008: 5000 metres 1930: George Hyde • 1932: Alex Hillhouse • 1934: Fred Colman • 1936: Jack Sheaves • 1937: Walter Weightman • 1947: George Campbell • 1948 – 1949: Neville McDonald • 1950 – 1953: Les Perry • 1954: Geoff Warren • 1955: Dave Stephens • 1956: John Landy • 1957 – 1959: Albie Thomas • 1960 – 1962: Dave Power • 1963: Trevor Vincent • 1964: Bill Baillie (NZL) • 1965 – 1969: Ron Clarke • 1970: Tony Manning • 1971: Kerry O'Brien • 1972: Tony Benson • 1973: Tony Williams • 1974: David Fitzsimons • 1975: Andrew Hill • 1976: Graham Crouch • 1977 – 1979: David Fitzsimons • 1980 – 1982: Steve Austin • 1983 – 1984: Zephaniah Ncube (ZIM) • 1985: Andrew Lloyd • 1986: Malcolm Norwood • 1987: Gerard Barrett • 1988: Andrew Lloyd • 1989: Phil Clode (NZL) • 1990: Simon Doyle • 1991: Rod Higgins • 1992: Andrew Lloyd • 1993: Peter O'Donoghue • 1994: Julian Paynter • 1995: Daniel Komen (KEN) • 1996: David Kibet (KEN) • 1997: Paul Bitok (KEN) • 1998: Shaun Creighton • 1999: Benjamin Maiyo (KEN) • 2000: Michael Power • 2001: James Getanda (KEN) • 2002: Stephen Cherono (KEN) • 2003: Daniel Komen (KEN) • 2004 – 2008: Craig Mottram • 2009: Collis Birmingham
Categories:- 1976 births
- Living people
- Kenyan long-distance runners
- Middle distance runners
- World record holders in athletics (track and field)
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1994 Commonwealth Games
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
- Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Kenya
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