Two-time World champion and 2012 London Olympic silver medallist Abel Kirui has retired from competitive athletics after a two-decade career.
The 42-year-old Kirui will now focus on supporting the sport as he takes the role of Deputy Director of Sports and Chaplaincy at the Administration Police.
“It’s been twenty years in active sport, always running clean, I think it is my time to say bye. I’ve had my time, and now it’s time to support others,” said Kirui, who emphasized his continued dedication to uplifting young athletes.
Adding “My service has considered me as the deputy director for sports and chaplaincy and I thank them for that, through this position I will make sure I use it to produce even more Abel Kiruis.”
During his days, he bagged gold medals at the World Championships in Berlin in 2009 and Daegu in 2011.
In 2009, he clocked 2:06.54 and made history in 2011 by winning with the largest margin ever in a World Championship marathon, 2 minutes and 28 seconds.
At the 2012 London Olympics, Kirui bagged a silver medal in the marathon.
He also claimed victories at the 2008 Vienna City Marathon and the 2016 Chicago Marathon, where he beat fellow Kenyan Dickson Chumba by just three seconds in a thrilling finish. He was runner-up at both the 2007 Berlin and 2017 Chicago Marathons.
In 2017 and 2018 London Marathons he finished fourth places.
