Ishmael Kipkurui

Ishmael Rokitto Kipkurui (born 10 February 2005), also spelled Ishmael Kipkirui, Ishmael Kirui, or Ismael Kipkurui, is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner. He was the individual winner of the 2023 World Cross Country Championships U20 race, leading his Kenyan team to a gold medal finish. He is also the Kenyan under-20 record-holder in the two miles run after his runner-up performance to Jakob Ingebrigtsen at the 2023 Meeting de Paris.

Career
After trying for and failing to make the Kenyan team at the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships, Kipkurui would not make his international debut until 2022, qualifying for the African Championships by virtue of his 2nd-place finish at the Kenyan Athletics Championships in the 5000 m. At the championships, he finished 6th in 13:49.13, 13 seconds behind winner Hailemariyam Amare despite dealing with an injury.

Kipkurui began his 2023 season at the 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Championships, competing in the U20 race. As the Kenyan team had trained together in a camp in Kigari, they had drafted a plan to use team tactics during the race, frequently checking on other athletes to encourage them to move together. He won the individual race in 24:29, helping Kenya score a victory over Ethiopia by just one point. Kipkurui followed up his win with another victory and personal best of 7:41.38 in the 3000 m at the Maurie Plant Meet - Melbourne.

Kipkurui only finished 4th at the Kenyan world championship trials in the 5000 m, behind Jacob Krop, Daniel Ebenyo, and Cornelius Kemboi. However Simiyu was not selected for the Kenyan squad, opening up a final spot for Kipkirui to run in the 5000 m and advance to the finals. In the final, Kipkurui went with the early pace of 2:14 through the first two laps, but then broke from the pack and split a 62-second lap, leading the race for a full mile with no other athletes willing to catch him. After 2400 metres, the chase pack had reeled in Kipkurui, and Kipkurui would gradually fade from then on finishing 10th overall.

Personal life
Kipkurui is from Baringo County, Kenya, and he is a member of the Central Rift training club. He is coached by Kenyan team head Julius Kirwa and his personal coach Barnaba Kitilit. He says that while many of his peers are fans of association football, he prefers athletics both has a participant and fan, and would "never cheat on [athletics] with football".

In 2023, Kipkurui was a Form Three student in addition to being a professional athlete. This meant that he often had to run at 4 a.m. using torches to light his path in order to attend school on time at 6 a.m. Hebelieved that his win at the World Cross Country Championships U20 race was a "supernatural intervention" from his Maker.