Patrick Makau

Patrick Makau

Patrick Makau setting the previous World Record at the Berlin Marathon 2011
Personal information
Born	(1985-03-02) 2 March 1985 (age 32)
Sport
Country	Kenya
Club	Kenya national athletics team
Medal record Men's athletics IAAF World Half Marathon Championships 2007 Udine Team 2008 Rio de Janeiro Team 2007 Udine Individual 2008 Rio de Janeiro Individual

Patrick Makau Musyoki (born 2 March 1985 in Manyanzwani, Eastern Province) is a runner from Kenya. He was the former world record holder in the marathon with a time of 2:03:38, set at the 2011 Berlin Marathon, beaten by Dennis Kipruto Kimetto in 2014. He is also notable for his half marathon performances, having won a number of prominent competitions in Europe in sub-1-hour performances.

Makau attended Unyuani School until 1999, after which he joined Kyeni Academy, Misiani. He started running in 2001. He competed at the 2006 IAAF World Road Running Championships and finished in 26th place.

He finished second at the 2007 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon by running 59:13 minutes, being beaten only by Samuel Wanjiru who set the world record (58:53) at the same race. He won silver at the 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships and 2008 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships. He was also part of the Kenyan team that won the team race both times.

He won at the City-Pier-City Loop in 2008. Makau won the 2009 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon setting the second best ever half marathon time 58:52. The world record at the time, 58:33, was held by Samuel Wanjiru. He made his marathon debut at the 2009 Rotterdam Marathon, finishing fourth and setting a fast time (2:06:14 hours), short of the fastest marathon debut, set by Evans Rutto at the 2003 Chicago Marathon (2:05:50 hours).

Makau returned to the Hague for the City-Pier-City Loop in 2010 and won for a second time, clocking another sub-one hour time of 59:52. After this he significantly improved his marathon best to 2:04:48 to win the Rotterdam Marathon, becoming the fourth fastest runner over the history of the distance. He opted to stay away from the circuit and focus himself entirely on preparations for the Berlin Marathon. A rematch with Rotterdam runner-up Geoffrey Mutai saw the two take the same positions again. Rain dampened the prospect of a record but Makau out-sprinted Mutai at the finish to clock 2:05:08 and win his first World Marathon Major. In recognition of his performances that year, he was selected as the AIMS World Athlete of the Year in a poll of race organisers.