NYRR Media Center

In his first race appearance in the Big Apple, Elkanah Kibet finished as the top American and in fourth place overall at the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon in what was then a personal-best time of 2:11:15. He bettered his personal best last year by running 2:09:07 at the Boston Marathon, placing ninth, before representing the U.S. at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, where he was 24th in 2:11:20.

Kibet was set to compete at the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon, but withdrew after receiving orders to report overseas to Poland for the U.S. Army.

He has competed in the last two U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, finishing 16th in 2020 and 19th in 2016. His first 26.2-mile race was the 2015 Chicago Marathon, at which he finished seventh in 2:11:31. He was 16th in the marathon at the 2017 World Athletics Championships and 38th in 2019.

Kibet was born in Kenya and began running when he had to make the 2.5-mile trek to and from school each day. He came to the U.S. on a running scholarship in 2006, first starting at Rend Lake Community College and then transferring to Auburn University.

He became a U.S. citizen in 2013 and then enrolled in the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program, which allowed him to train full time. He enlisted as a regular soldier and trained in Iraq and Kuwait when he was deployed as a member of the Army’s financial management support unit, often staying on the base during long weekends so he could train. He is now a first lieutenant who works as a budget analyst with a unit based at Fort Carson.

Kibet and his wife, Joyce, have three children.