Duncan Kibet

Duncan Kibet Kirong ( born April 25, 1978 Eldoret ) is a Kenyan marathon runner.

After he had broken his leg in a car accident at the age of 16, he initially did not think to start running. The success of his older brother Luke Metto brought him to rethink.

In 2004 he won the Lille Half-Marathon, and he was runner-up in each of Lille and the Delhi Half Marathon 2005.

In 2006 he won the first edition of the San Jose Half Marathon in 1:00:22 h, the second fastest time that had ever been achieved over this distance by this time on U.S. soil.

In 2008 he was second in the Vienna City Marathon and placed at the Milan City Marathon with 2:07:53 h a course record.

His biggest triumph he celebrated in 2009 at the Rotterdam Marathon. There, he won with a razor-thin lead over the same time James Kipsang Kwambai. By the time of 2:04:27, he was the second fastest man over this distance behind Haile Gebrselassie (as of early April 2009). In Berlin Marathon 2009, there was a clash between the two. While Haile Gebrselassie won, but the targeted world record failed, had to give up because of a hip problem Kirong 32 km away.

In 2010 he was fourth at the Lisbon Half Marathon, but reached the London Marathon again not the goal.

Duncan Kibet Kirong is trained by the Italian Claudio Berardelli. Its unusual appearance has earned him the nickname " Rasta " and "Jamaican ". His younger brother Shadrack Biwott Kiptoo is also a successful long distance runner.

Bests

• Half Marathon: 1:00:22 h, October 8, 2006 San Jose
• Marathon: 2:04:27 h, April 5, 2009, Rotterdam (former Kenyan record )