Gilbert Kirwa

Gilbert Kipruto Kirwa (born 20 December 1985) is a Kenyan athlete who specialises in long-distance running and the marathon.

Based on what he had seen in training, Jason Mbote asked if Kirwa would be a pacemaker for him at the 2008 Seoul International Marathon in South Korea.

This was the first time Kirwa had left Kenya, and his first ever international competition, but he set a strong pace up to the 33 kilometre mark and athletics agent Gerard van de Veen signed him on the strength of the run.

[5] Running in the Frankfurt Marathon in October, his second race at the distance, he beat the defending champion Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot and also broke the course record.

[1] He signed up for the 2010 Seoul International Marathon but was beaten to the finish line by surprise winner Sylvester Teimet.

Kirwa celebrating victory at the 2009 Hamburg Half Marathon
Kirwa after winning the 2009 Vienna Marathon