Samuel Wanjiru

1.1. Birth, Family, and Poverty

Wanjiru was born on November 10, 1986, in Ol Kalou, a town within Nyahururu, Laikipia County, in Kenya's Great Rift Valley. He was a member of the Kikuyu ethnic group. His parents separated when he was young, and he was raised in poverty by his single mother, Hannah Wanjiru, alongside his brother, Simon Njoroge. Samuel took his mother's given name as his surname due to her status as a single mother. The family's reliance on a small maize farm meant they often struggled; Wanjiru frequently attended school barefoot, without lunch, and lacked money for textbooks or even basic school fees. This financial hardship ultimately led him to drop out of Githunguri Primary School in the seventh grade, around the age of 12.

1.2. Education and Early Athletics in Kenya

Wanjiru began running at the age of eight, excelling in elementary school sports days. His talent became more focused after he dropped out of school. Initially training alone at home, his abilities caught the attention of Francis Kamau, a coach at the Mutual Fair Exchanges (MFAE) athletics club. Wanjiru moved by himself to the outskirts of Nyahururu to train with the club, which was located near Thomson's Falls and specialized in long-distance runners, utilizing the high altitude of approximately 9.8 K ft ^{(3.00 K m)} for training. Under Kamau's guidance, Wanjiru secured a third-place finish in the 10,000m at the national elementary school athletics championship held in Kisumu in 2000, bringing him wider recognition. However, his inability to pay club fees forced him to leave the MFAE club and return home.

Back in his impoverished family life, Wanjiru recalled hearing about a high-altitude training camp near Mount Kenya in Nyeri, about 62 mile ^{(100 km)} from Ol Kalou. He sought permission to join the camp from its organizer, Stephen Ndung'u. Following Kikuyu custom, his maternal uncle, John Mwihia, acted as his guardian, accompanying him to Nyeri and providing sugar and 2.2 lb ^{(1 kg)} of rice as an initial training fee. Training at the Nyeri camp, Wanjiru quickly accumulated victories in district competitions, becoming a local hero. Ndung'u, recognizing Wanjiru's potential, began seeking sponsors to facilitate his training abroad.

2.1. Study Abroad and High School Years in Japan

In early 2002, Stephen Ndung'u introduced Wanjiru to Shunichi Kobayashi, a Japanese sports journalist and athletics promoter based in Kenya who had a strong relationship with the Kenyan Athletics Federation and had sent nearly 50 Kenyan athletes to Japan. Around the same time, Wanjiru spoke with Samuel Kabir, a fellow Kenyan who was already studying and training at Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School in Japan as an ekiden runner, which further fueled Wanjiru's desire to study abroad. After winning a cross country competition that served as a selection event for Japanese scholarships, Wanjiru secured his place at Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School in Sendai, enrolling in April 2002 via Ngaru Secondary School.

Upon his arrival, Wanjiru faced significant challenges, including the unfamiliar cold winters of Sendai, language barriers, and homesickness. However, he diligently studied Japanese by watching anime, becoming fluent in daily conversation within a year. He later recounted that the training at Sendai Ikuei, which was far more intense than his previous 30 minutes a day in Kenya, felt extremely demanding during his first year. Under coach Takao Watanabe, Wanjiru focused on ekiden and cross country. He won the Chiba International Cross Country twice and the Fukuoka International Cross Country three times. He also achieved three consecutive section awards in the National High School Ekiden Championship, contributing to Sendai Ikuei's "golden age" and outperforming other Kenyan students like Mekubo Job Mogusu. Despite these successes, he never won the 5000m at the National High School Athletics Championships (placing 3rd, 2nd, and 3rd in his three years, and being outrun by Japanese runner Yuki Sato in his final year). This led him to mistakenly believe he lacked speed, prompting him to consider an early transition to marathon running. Nevertheless, his high school personal bests of 13:38.98 for 5000m and 28:00.14 for 10,000m both surpassed existing Japanese high school records.

2.2. Toyota Motor Kyushu Period

After graduating from high school, Wanjiru received offers from several corporate teams. He chose to join Toyota Motor Kyushu, aiming to become a marathon runner under the guidance of Koichi Morishita, the silver medalist in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics marathon. Wanjiru was assigned to the General Affairs Department within the company. Soon after joining in April 2005, he set new personal bests in the 10,000m (27:32.43 at the Hyogo Relay Carnival) and 5000m (13:12.40 at the Oda Mikio Memorial International Athletics Meet), demonstrating his speed. These performances led him to postpone his marathon transition to focus on shorter distances.

His immediate success continued with a victory at the Sendai International Half Marathon in July 2005, where he ran 59:43, then the second-fastest time in history. In August of the same year, he set a new junior world record of 26:41.75 in the 10,000m at the Brussels Grand Prix, finishing third behind Kenenisa Bekele's world record. The following month, in September 2005, he broke the half marathon world record with a time of 59:16 at the Rotterdam Half Marathon, surpassing Paul Tergat's previous mark.

Although Haile Gebrselassie broke Wanjiru's half marathon world record in January 2006 with 58:55, Wanjiru reclaimed it in February 2007, running 58:53 at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon. This record was not officially ratified due to the absence of an EPO test. He further improved his own world record to 58:33 on March 17, 2007, at the City-Pier-City Loop in The Hague, Netherlands. During this race, he also recorded an unofficial 20km split of 55:31, which was faster than Gebrselassie's world record for that distance but was not ratified due to timing methods.

In July 2008, Wanjiru submitted his resignation from Toyota Motor Kyushu through a Japanese lawyer. He stated that he wanted to focus solely on marathon running and avoid obligations like ekiden races, which he felt were hindering his progress. He also criticized Japanese training methods, suggesting that overtraining and the emphasis on ekiden led to fatigue and injuries. Furthermore, he expressed frustration with the Japan Industrial Track and Field Federation's rule requiring foreign athletes to reside in Japan for over 180 days, which he felt interfered with his participation in international competitions. By this point, Wanjiru had begun working with Gabriella Rosa as his coach and her son, Federico Rosa, as his agent, often disregarding Toyota Motor Kyushu's training schedules and commitments.

3.1. Early Running Career and Junior Records

Wanjiru quickly established himself as a formidable talent in his early career. At just 17 years old, in April 2004, he achieved a personal best of 13:12.40 in the 5000m in Hiroshima, Japan. His breakthrough came on August 26, 2005, at the IAAF Golden League Van Damme Memorial Race in Brussels, where he set a world junior record in the 10,000m with a time of 26:41.75. This performance was nearly 23 seconds faster than the previous junior world record held by Boniface Kiprop and earned him third place in a race where Kenenisa Bekele set a new world record.

3.2. Half Marathon Success

Wanjiru demonstrated exceptional prowess in the half marathon discipline, breaking the world record three times. His first world record was set on September 11, 2005, at the Rotterdam Half Marathon, where he clocked 59:16, surpassing Paul Tergat's previous record of 59:17. Although Haile Gebrselassie briefly held the record in early 2006, Wanjiru recaptured it on February 9, 2007, with a time of 58:53 at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon. This mark, however, was not officially ratified due to the absence of an EPO test. Just over a month later, on March 17, 2007, he further improved his own record to 58:33 at the City-Pier-City Loop in The Hague, Netherlands, solidifying his status as the premier half marathon runner of his era.

3.3. Marathon Debut and Major Wins

Wanjiru made a highly anticipated marathon debut at the Fukuoka Marathon on December 2, 2007. He won the race impressively with a course record of 2:06:39, showcasing his potential for the longer distance. He started 2008 by winning the Zayed International Half Marathon, earning a substantial prize of 300.00 K USD. In the 2008 London Marathon, he finished second with a time of 2:05:24, marking his first sub-2:06 performance.

In April 2009, Wanjiru returned to the London Marathon and won with a time of 2:05:10, setting a new personal record and a new course record. He expressed his ambition to break Haile Gebrselassie's world record in the near future. Later that year, in October 2009, he won the Chicago Marathon in 2:05:41, establishing a new course record for Chicago and the fastest marathon time ever run in the United States. His victories in London and Chicago propelled him to the top of the World Marathon Majors rankings for 2009, earning him a jackpot of 500.00 K USD.

3.4. 2008 Beijing Olympics

Wanjiru's crowning achievement came at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. On August 24, 2008, despite having forgotten his race shoes in Kenya and having to run in practice shoes, he won the Olympic marathon gold medal with an Olympic record time of 2:06:32. This performance shattered the previous Olympic record of 2:09:21 set by Carlos Lopes of Portugal in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Wanjiru's victory made him the first Kenyan to win an Olympic gold medal in the marathon and, at 21 years and 9 months old, the youngest male marathon gold medalist since Juan Carlos Zabala in 1932. He received his gold medal from IOC President Jacques Rogge during the closing ceremony. In a post-race interview with Japanese press, he fluently responded in Japanese, expressing gratitude to Japan and stating that what he learned in Japan was "Gaman, Gaman" (perseverance, patience). Following his Olympic triumph, he met with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and later signed a one-year sponsorship deal with Meiji Seika under their "SAVAS" brand.

3.5. World Marathon Majors and Later Career

After his Olympic success, Wanjiru continued to target major marathons. In February 2008, after winning the Granollers Half Marathon, he stated his ambition to run a sub-two-hour marathon within five years. He was set to defend his title at the 2010 London Marathon but was forced to drop out midway due to knee trouble, marking his first unfinished marathon in six attempts. Despite this setback and a stomach virus that affected his preparations, he competed in the 2010 Chicago Marathon in October. Although Tsegaye Kebede took an early lead, Wanjiru, despite not being in peak physical form, maintained his pace and caught the Ethiopian. He took the lead in the final 1312 ft ^{(400 m)} to successfully defend his Chicago title with a time of 2:06:24. His coach, Federico Rosa, described the performance as "the greatest surprise I have ever seen in my life."

4.1. Family Life

Wanjiru had multiple marital relationships and children. He traditionally married Triza Njeri, a beautician, and they had a daughter, Anne Wanjiru, and a son, Simon Njoroge. In 2009, he legally married Mary Wacera, a fellow long-distance runner, and they had a child named Ann in 2010. Additionally, Wanjiru had a third wife, Judy Wambui Wairimu, who was pregnant at the time of his death and later gave birth to a son.

His family also included other notable runners. His cousin, Joseph Riri, was a world-class marathon runner, achieving second place at the 2004 Berlin Marathon and winning the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon in 2005. Wanjiru's younger brother, Simon Njoroge, also pursued a career in long-distance running.

4.2. Personal Struggles and Legal Issues

Wanjiru's personal life became increasingly chaotic, notably due to his struggles with alcohol. He began drinking after moving to Japan, and his consumption increased significantly over time.

In December 2010, Wanjiru was arrested by Kenyan police at his home in Nyahururu. He faced charges of threatening to kill his wife and illegally possessing an AK-47 rifle. Wanjiru denied both accusations, claiming he was being framed. Earlier in 2008, he had been attacked by robbers at his home who were reportedly seeking his Olympic prize money. In January 2011, he was involved in a traffic accident, sustaining minor injuries.

5.1. Circumstances of Death

On May 15, 2011, Wanjiru died after falling from a balcony at his home in Nyahururu. He appeared to have suffered internal injuries from the fall and was confirmed dead by doctors at a nearby hospital after attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.

Initial police reports indicated that Wanjiru's wife, Triza Njeri, had returned home to find him in bed with another woman. She reportedly locked the couple in the bedroom and ran outside. Wanjiru then fell from the balcony. At the time, police were uncertain whether Wanjiru intended suicide, jumped in a fit of rage, or if other circumstances related to the domestic dispute led to his death.

5.2. Investigation and Controversy

The investigation into Wanjiru's death has been fraught with controversy and conflicting accounts, leaving the exact cause unresolved. In May 2017, during an inquest into his death, his mother, Hannah Wanjiru, testified at the Milimani law court that she believed her son was murdered. She claimed that six men, conspiring with his wife Triza Njeri, were responsible for his death.

A former chief government pathologist, testifying during the same inquest, stated his conviction that Wanjiru was hit by a blunt object. The pathologist suggested that Wanjiru either sustained the blow after jumping from the balcony and landing on his legs, or that he was pushed and then struck. These findings fueled suspicions of foul play, directly contradicting the initial police assessment of an accidental fall or suicide. Despite ongoing investigations and testimonies, the definitive cause of Samuel Wanjiru's death has not been officially determined.

6.1. Major Awards

• 2005: Kenyan Most Promising Sportsman of the Year award
• 2008: AIMS World Athlete of the Year Award
• 2008: Kenyan Sportsman of the Year Award

6.2. Personal Best Performances

† = World junior record, ‡ = World record (at time of performance, some unofficial or later broken)

Bold indicates personal best.