Medal record | ||
---|---|---|
Men's athletics | ||
Representing Kenya | ||
World Half Marathon Championships | ||
2012 Kavarna | Individual | |
2012 Kavarna | Team | |
African Cross Country Championships | ||
2011 Cape Town | Senior race |
John Nzau Mwangangi (born 1 November 1990) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes over distances ranging from 5000 metres to the half marathon. He was the gold medallist at the 2011 African Cross Country Championships. He has won a number of high-profile European road races, including the Dam tot Damloop, 20 Kilomètres de Paris, Greifenseelauf, the Valencia Half Marathon and the Valencia Marathon.
Born in Mwingi in Kenya's Eastern Province, he had his first European race wins in 2008, taking the titles at the Greifenseelauf and Morat-Fribourg Murtenlauf races. He first came to prominence in the 2009 season. After finishing as runner-up at the Kenya Prison Service cross country and 5000 metres championships, he won the 20 km de Lausanne and 10-mile Grand Prix von Bern. He won his first international medal in August, taking the silver medal over 5000 m at the 2009 African Junior Athletics Championships. He then returned to the European road circuit and had a string of victories: he retained his Greifenseelauf and Morat-Fribourg titles, won the Route du Vin half marathon in a personal best of 60:36 minutes, and also won the shorter La Corrida Bulloise and Basel Stadtlauf races.
His 2010 season began with his first victory at the Kenya Prisons Cross Country, where he beat Silas Kiplagat. In March ran 59:56 minutes to dip under the hour mark for the first time at the City-Pier-City Half Marathon, taking third in a close race. He won the Rabat Half Marathon in April. In September he won the Dam tot Damloop, placed second at the Tilburg 10K, then came fourth at the Singelloop Utrecht. He ended his season on a high with wins at the 20 Kilomètres de Paris and the Valencia Half Marathon.