| Kennedy Kithuka | |
| Nationality: | Kenyan |
| Residence: | Lubbock, Texas |
| Birth Date: | 4 June 1989 |
| Birth Place: | Thika, Kenya |
| Sport: | Cross country running, Track and Field |
| Universityteam: | Texas Tech |
| Club: | Skechers performance Elite team |
| Coach: | Wes Kittley |
| Nationals: | NCAA Men's Cross Country Championship (2012) |
| Updated: | 4 / 2016 |
Kennedy Kithuka (born June 4, 1989) was a Kenyan cross country and track runner for Texas Tech under head coach Wes Kittley.
In 2007, Kennedy Kithuka ran
9:00 3000 metres
4:20 1500 metres
15:10 5000 metres
30:20 10,000 metres
Kithuka won NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships titles for Wayland Baptist University in the 10 km in 29:31.99 and 5 km in 13:56.82. Kithuka also took titles in the Sooner Athletic Conference Championships 3 km Steeplechase and 5 km.
Kithuka competed for Wayland Baptist University in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Outdoor Track and Field Championships while winning the 3 km in 8:08.53, was runner-up in the mile in 4:08.89, 4th place in the DMR in 10:03.29.
Kithuka finished the NAIA national men's outdoor track and field championship for Wayland Baptist University with 8th place in the 10 km in 30:29.69, and 3rd place in the 5 km in 14:17.20.[1]
Kithuka's indoor season was highlighted with NAIA National Men's Indoor Track And Field Championship 5th-place finish in the 5 km in 14:30.95 and 10th-place finish in the DMR in 10:13.95.[2]
Kithuka won the 2012 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships 10 km in 29:35.85, 5 km in 14:04.72, and finished 2nd in the 1500 m in 3:46.72. He notched a personal record at the Mt SAC Relays in 28:18.97 where he was the runner-up and World Standard time in the 5k in 13:28.61.
Kithuka's indoor season was capped off with NAIA Indoor Championships titles in the 3000 meters in 8:03.63, DMR in 9:51.31, while finishing 5th in the mile in 4:08.23.
In 2012, Kithuka won the individual Big 12 champion, the NCAA Men's Cross Country Championship, and was named the National Male Athlete of the Year for cross country.[3]
During the indoor, Kithuka won the Big 12 Conference 3,000 meters (7:53.72) and 5,000 meters (13:41.01) and NCAA Track and Field 5,000 meters championships (13:25.38).
In 2013, Kithuka went undefeated and won the individual Big 12 Conference 8k Championship for a second time and only losing to Edward Cheserek of University of Oregon at the NCAA Men's Division I Cross Country Championship.[4] [5]
In 2014, Kithuka set personal best in both events:[6]
| 5000 Metres | 13:26.98 | Walnut, CA | 18 APR 2014 | |
| 10,000 Metres | 27:41.73 | Palo Alto, CA | 04 MAY 2014 |
Kennedy Kithuka served as volunteer assistant coach at Texas Tech; and guided men to (7th B12 and 14th NCAA Mtn) and women to (9th B12 and 12th NCAA Mtn) in 2014-15 as a 1st year assistant.[10] [11]
Kennedy Kithuka is a part of Skechers performance Elite team.[12] Kennedy is in the elite road -race April 3 at Carlsbad 5000[13] where Kithuka placed 12th in 14:12.[14] Kithuka ran 14:26 at Boston Athletic Association 5 km on April 16 in Boston, Massachusetts.