Benjamin Kigen (born July 5, 1993) is a Kenyan athlete who competes primarily in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He won the bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Kigen took gold at the 2019 All-Africa Games.
He is from Baringo County, Kenya and trains with Amos Kirui under coach Isaac Rono.[1]
Kigen won the 3000 m steeplechase at the 2018 Prefontaine Classic, beating 2017 world champion Conseslus Kipruto and 2016 Olympic silver medalist Evan Jager with a 57.89 second last lap.[2]
He qualified to represent Kenya at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,[3] where he won the bronze medal in his specialist event with a time of 8:11.45, behind Soufiane El Bakkali (8:08.90) and Lamecha Girma (8:10.38).[4]
His personal best is 8:05.12 (Monaco 2019).
Achievements
International competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | African Games | Rabat, Morocco | 1st | 3000 m st. | 8:12.39 |
| World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 6th | 3000 m st. | 8:06.95 | |
| Military World Games | Wuhan, China | 1st | 3000 m st. | 8:24.50 | |
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 3rd | 3000 m st. | 8:11.45 |
| 2022 | African Championships | Port Louis, Mauritius | 6th | 3000 m st. | 8:38.83 |
| World Championships | Eugene, OR, United States | 19th (h) | 3000 m st. | 8:22.52 |
Circuit wins and titles, National championships
- Diamond League champion 3000 m steeplechase:
2021[5]
- 3000 metres steeplechase wins, other events specified in parentheses
Personal bests
- 800 metres – 1:57.51 (Nairobi 2021)
- 1500 metres – 3:36.36 (Madrid 2017)
- 3000 metres – 7:54.02 (Baie-Mahault 2018)
- 5000 metres – 14:02.78 (Nairobi 2022)
- 3000 metres steeplechase – 8:05.12 (Monaco 2019)
References
- ^ "Newcomer Kigen shakes up steeplechase status quo".
- ^ "Prefontaine Classic Men 3000 M Steeplechase (Final)".
- ^ Olobulu, Timothy (2021-06-19). "Conseslus, Timothy Cheruiyot out as Kenya names team for Tokyo Olympics". Capital Sports. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
- ^ "Kenya's Reign is Over: Soufiane El Bakkali Wins Olympic Men's Steeplechase in Tokyo". LetsRun.com. 2021-08-02. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
- ^ "Wanda Diamond League Final | Zürich (SUI) | 8th-9th Sept 2021" (PDF). Diamond League. 2021-09-09. p. 3. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
External links
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