Philemon Kimeli Limo (born 2 August 1985) is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner who competes in cross country running and road running competitions. He has a half marathon best of 59:30 minutes and a marathon best of 2:09:25 hours. He typically competes on the Italian road circuit and has won the Roma-Ostia and Prague Half Marathons.
Hailing from Marakwet District, Kenya, he began to make his mark domestically in 2009 as he was the runner-up at the high level Rift Valley Province Cross Country Championships.[1] In his European debut in March 2010, he came third at the Stramilano Half Marathon, completing the distance in a time of 1:01:34 hours to finish behind Moses Mosop and Silas Kipruto.[2] He was the pacemaker for the 2010 European Cup 10000m and went on to record a 5000 metres personal best of 13:18.97 minutes at the Memorial Primo Nebiolo later that June.[3] He won a 10 km race in Rennes,[4] recording a time which ranked him in the top ten for the distance that year.[5] He defeated all comers in the Marseille-Cassis Classique in October that year.[6]
Representing Kenya Police, he gained his first national selection in 2011 with a fourth-place finish at the Kenyan National Cross Country Championships.[7] On his international debut at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in March, he took seventh place in the men's senior race – the fifth Kenyan to cross the line.[8] He proved himself on the roads a month later at the Prague Half Marathon as he won the race with a sub-one hour timing, setting the fastest time ever on Czech soil with his finishing time of 59:30 minutes.[9] A runner-up finish at the Giro Media Blenio came four weeks later.[10] He won the men's title at the World 10K Bangalore in June, where he finished in 28:01 minutes,[11] and set a course record and personal best of 27:34 min to win the Prague Metro 10K.[12] He returned to the Marseille-Cassis race to defend his title, but was beaten into third place.[13] He came fifth behind Sammy Kitwara at the Delhi Half Marathon in November and started his cross country season with a win at the Venta de Baños Cross a month after.[14][15]
He was within two seconds of his best at the Roma-Ostia Half Marathon and won by a twenty-second margin.[16] returned to defend his title at the Prague Half Marathon in 2012, but finished third in a time of 60:03 minutes.[17] Limo made his marathon debut at the Prague International Marathon in May and recorded a time of 2:09:25 hours for third, although he slowed significantly in the final stages.[18] In 2013 he managed only tenth at the Prague Half Marathon,[19] but won the Ústí nad Labem Half Marathon.[20]
References
edit- ^ Omulo, Okoth (2009-02-15). New faces emerge in Rift Valley as soldiers make good in Nairobi - Kenyan Provincial Championships round-up. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-04-05.
- ^ Sampaolo, Diego (2010-03-22). Mosop clocks 59:20 in Milan Half Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-04-05.
- ^ Resultati Archived 2012-03-22 at the Wayback Machine. Memorial Primo Nebiolo. Retrieved on 2011-04-05.
- ^ Ramsak, Bob (2011-06-06). Farah and Monteiro take European Cup 10,000m victories. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-04-05.
- ^ 10 Kilometres 2010. IAAF (2011-02-21). Retrieved on 2011-04-05.
- ^ Vazel, Pierre-Jean (2010-10-01). Kenyan double in appalling weather conditions in the Marseille-Cassis classic. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-04-05.
- ^ Mutuota, Mutwiri (2011-02-19). Mutai and Masai take hard fought wins in Nairobi; reigning World champs Ebuya and Chebet won’t defend. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-04-05.
- ^ 2011 World XC Championships - Official Team Results Senior Race - M Archived 2011-03-23 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF (2011-03-20). Retrieved on 2011-04-05.
- ^ Butcher, Pat (2011-04-02). Limo and Cheromei shatter course records at Prague Half Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-04-05.
- ^ Sampaolo, Diego (2011-04-26). Merga defends title in Dongio 10Km. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-04-27.
- ^ Krishnan, Ram. Murali (2011-06-05). Limo and Tune prevail in Bangalore 10Km. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-06-05.
- ^ Limo clocks 27:34 course record in Prague. IAAF (2011-09-11). Retrieved on 2011-09-10.
- ^ 2011 Marseille-Cassis Results Archived 2012-05-02 at the Wayback Machine (in French). Marseille-Cassis. Retrieved on 2011-10-30.
- ^ Krishnan, Ram. Murali (2011-11-27). In close races, Desisa and Kabuu prevail in New Delhi Half. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-11-27.
- ^ Valiente, Emeterio (2011-12-18). Limo and Jepleting secure a Kenyan double in Venta de Baños. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-12-23.
- ^ Sampaolo, Diego (2012-02-26). Kiplagat sizzles sub-1:07 at Roma-Ostia Half. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-05-15.
- ^ Butcher, Pat (2012-03-31). Tsegay’s 58:47 shatters course record in ‘very windy’ Prague Archived 2012-07-05 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-04-01.
- ^ Edwards, Andy (2012-05-13). Kiprop dashes Cheromei’s hopes while Chimsa lives up to expectations in Prague. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-05-15.
- ^ Cherono breaks course record in Prague as Tadese out-sprints team-mate. IAAF (2013-04-06). Retrieved on 2013-09-21.
- ^ Limo and Chepkoech win at the Udsti nad Labem Half Marathon. IAAF (2013-09-15). Retrieved on 2013-09-21.
