USA Championships
2012 Olympic Trials Marathon champion (2:09:08)
2009 USA Marathon and MYC Marathon champion (2:09:29)
2009 USA Half-Marathon champion (1:01:25)
Two-time Olympic Trials 10,000m champion – 2000 (28:08.32); 2004 (27:36.49)
Three-time USA 12 km cross country champion – 2001; 2002 (35:45); 2009 (36:06)
Six-time USA 15 km champion
International Championships
2004 Olympic Games marathon silver medalist (2:11:29)
Collegiate Championships
1997 NCAA Outdoor 5,000m and 10,000m champion
1997 NCAA Indoor 5,000m champion
1997 NCAA cross country champion
Awards and Honors
American 20 km record holder
About Meb
The 2004 Olympic silver medalist in the marathon and the American record holder in the 10,000m and 20 km, Meb Keflezighi has become a premier international name in American distance running. In addition to the records and Olympic medal, Keflezighi made history in 2009 by winning the ING New York City Marathon in 2:09:15. The win gave Keflezighi the USA Marathon Championship and his fourth national title of 2009, and he became the first American man to win in New York since Alberto Salazar's 1982 victory in 2:09:29. He earned a total prize-money payday of $200,000. He also finished atop the USA Running Series rankings for 2009. It was his first victory in that event since 2002. His 20 km split of 57:52 became the new American record for that event, bettering Ryan Hall’s 57:54 set in 2006. At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Keflezighi became the first American man since 1976 to win an Olympic medal in the men’s marathon, taking the silver at Panathenaiko Stadium crossing the finish line under a full moon. His medal at Olympic Stadium during the closing ceremonies, gave Team USA its 25th medal of the Athens Olympics - the most successful Olympics for Team USA track & field since 1992. His time of 2:09:53 in the 2004 New York City Marathon gave the U.S. its best men’s finish in New York since Bob Kempainen placed second in 1993. Born in Eritrea, Keflezighi (pronounced Ka-FLEZ-gee) and his family moved to San Diego in 1987. He is one of 11 children and applied for U.S. citizenship in 1997 not knowing if his native country of Eritrea would participate in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He lived in a village in Eritrea with no electricity, where his brothers hid in the bushes so they would not be forced to join the military to fight against Ethiopia. He became a U.S. citizen on July 2, 1998. He trains at altitude (7,000 feet) at Mammoth Lakes, Calif. He was an honorary team captain for the Houston Rockets at a home game on February 14, 2003, while in town for the USA Cross Country Championships. His wife, Yordanis, whom he met at an Eritrean-American soccer tournament in 2004, gave birth to the couple’s first child, Sara, on March 8, 2006.
Results
2012: Olympic Trials Marathon champion (2:09:08); 13th in New York City Half-Marathon (1:01:41)
2011: 15th at New York City Half Marathon (1:02:52); 3rd at Madrid 10km (29:26); 1st at San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon (1:02:40); 1st at San Jose Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon (1:02:17); 6th at New York City Marathon (2:09:13).
2010: 5th at Boston Marathon (2:09:26); 6th at ING New York City Marathon (2:11:38)
2009: New York City Marathon & USA Marathon champ (2:09:29); U.S. Half Marathon champ (1:01:25); USA 20 km record holder (57:52); USA Cross Country champion (36:06)
2009: New York City Marathon & USA Marathon champ (2:09:29); U.S. Half Marathon champ (1:01:25); USA Cross Country champ (36:06)
2008: 13th at Olympic Trials in 10,000m (28:39.02); 16th at Brussels GP (28:28.44)
2007: USA 15 km champion (43:40); 8th at Olympic Trials – Men’s Marathon (2:15:09)
2006: USA Outdoor 10,000m runner-up (28:18.74); 3rd at Boston Marathon (2:09:56); 21st at NYC Marathon (2:22:02)
2005: 2nd in 10,000m at USA Outdoors (28:10.57); 3rd at New York City Marathon (2:09:56); dropped out of World Outdoor Championships 10,000m due to sore right quadriceps
2004: Olympic marathon silver medalist (2:11:29); 1st at Olympic Trials 10,000m (27:36.49); runner-up at Marathon Olympic Trials (2:11:47); 2nd at New York City Marathon (2:09:53); 1st at USA 15 km championships (43:18); 1st at USA 8 km championships (22:16)
2003: Runner-up at USA Outdoor 10,000m (27:57.59); 16th at World Outdoors 10,000m (28:35.08); U.S. 15 km champion; 2nd at USA XC Champs 12 km (38:34); 11th at World XC Champs 12km (37:16); 12th in Stockholm 5000m (13:20.50)
2002: USA Outdoor 10,000m champ; ran 27:20.15 10km at Stanford; U.S. 12 km Cross Country champion (35:45); U.S. 15 km champion (42:49); 14th at World Cross Country Championships 12km (36:09); 9th at New York City Marathon (2:12:35)
2001: Set former American 10,000m record of 27:13.98 at Cardinal Invitational; USA 12km XC Winter Nationals champion; 23rd at IAAF World Championships 10,000m (28:44.48); 13th in 12km at World XC Champs (40:46); U.S. 15km champion
2000: Olympic Trials 10,000m champion (28:03.32); 12th in Olympic 10,000m (27:53.63); top U.S. finisher in men’s long race at World Cross Country Championships, 26th in 36:46
1999: 4th at USA Outdoors 10,000m; 5th at Pan American Games 10 km
1998: 4th at NCAA 5,000m; 2nd at Pac-10, 4th at NCAA and 4th at USA Championships
1997: Won NCAA Outdoor 5,000m and 10,000m; Indoor 5,000m and men’s cross country champion
1996: 9th in NCAA 5,000m
1995: 5th in NCAA 5,000m
USA/World Rankings and Personal Bests
2011: Outdoor bests – 30 km, 1:29:47 (No. 2 in the USA); marathon, 2:09:13 (No. 2 in the USA)
2010: Outdoor bests – half marathon, 1:01:45 (No. 2 in the USA); marathon, 2:11:38 (No. 3 in the USA)
2009: Outdoor bests – 20 km, 57:52 (No. 2 in the USA, No. 14 in the world); half marathon, 1:01:00 (No. 2 in the USA); marathon, 2:09:15 (No. 1 in the USA)
2008: Outdoor bests – 10,000m, 28:28.44
2007: Outdoor bests – 10,000m, 27:41.26 (No. 3 in the USA, No. 43 in the world); 10 km, 27:58 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 25 in the world); half marathon, 1:02:22 (No. 3 in the USA); marathon , 2:15:09 (No. 8 in the USA)
2006: Outdoor bests – 10,000m, 28:18:74 (No. 10 in the USA); 15 km, 43:43 (No. 2 in the USA)
2005: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, 13:20.71 (No. 9 in the USA); 10,000m, 28:10.57 (No. 4 in the USA); marathon, 2:09.56 (No. 1 in the USA)
2004: Outdoor bests – 10,000m, 27:24.10 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 17 in the world); 15 km, 43:19 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 5 in the world); marathon, 2:09:53 (No. 2 in the USA)
2003: Outdoor bests – 3,000m, 7:48.81 (No. 4 in the USA); 5,000m, 13:20.50 (No. 1 in the USA); 10,000m, 27:57.59 (No. 4 in the USA, No. 43 in the world); 15 km, 43:31 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 13 in the world); 20 km, 58:57 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 24 in the world); marathon, 2:10:03 (No. 1 in the USA)
2002: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, 13:21.87 (No. 1 in the USA); 10,000m, 27:20.15 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 8 in the world); 15 km, 42:48 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 3 in the world); marathon, 2:12:35 (No. 4 in the USA)
2001: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, 13:23.16; 10,000m, 27:13.98
2000: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, 13:11.77; 10,000m, 27:53.63
1999: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, 13:40.86; 10,000m, 28:29.27
1998: Outdoor bests – 1,500m, 3:42.29; mile, 4:02.86; 5,000m, 13:26.85; 10,000m, 28:16.79
1997: Outdoor bests – 1,500m, 3:43.95; 5,000m, 13:33.97; 10,000m, 28:26.55
1996: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, 13:37.0; 10,000m, 29:55.75
1995: Outdoor bests – 5,000m, 13:52.06