İlham Tanui Özbilen explained

İlham Tanui Özbilen
Birth Name:William Biwott Tanui
Sport:Middle-distance
Birth Date:5 March 1990
Birth Place:Kocholwo, Keiyo District, Kenya
Height:1.77m (05.81feet)
Weight:600NaN0
Coach:Patrick Sang
Pb:

İlham Tanui Özbilen (born William Biwott Tanui on 5 March 1990 in Kocholwo, Kenya) is a middle distance runner now representing Turkey. The 1.77m (05.81feet) tall athlete weighs 60kg (130lb).[1] He is coached by Kenyan Patrick Sang.

Career in Kenya

Özbilen, then competing as William Biwott Tanui, won the 1500 metres at the 2009 World Athletics Final in Thessaloniki, Greece. He holds the current world junior record in the mile run with his clocking of 3:49.29 minutes, achieved in Oslo on 3 July 2009.[2] He was also part of the Kenyan team (with Gideon Gathimba, Geoffrey Kipkoech Rono and Augustine Kiprono Choge) that set a new world record of 14:36.23 in the rarely contested 4 x 1500 metres relay at the 2009 Memorial Van Damme Golden League meeting in Brussels, Belgium.[3]

Turkish citizenship

He switched allegiance to Turkey in June 2011, changing his name to İlham Tanui Özbilen. His surname was given him by his godfather and manager Önder Özbilen, who persuaded him in December 2010 in Kenya to immigrate to Turkey. He moved in February 2011 to Turkey, and was naturalized on 8 June 2011.[4] While he would normally have been ineligible to internationally represent his adoptive country until 8 June 2013,[5] it was announced in February 2012 that he had received permission from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to compete for Turkey starting with the 2012 World Indoor Championships in Istanbul.[1] [6] [7] [8]

İlham Tanui Özbilen won the silver medal for Turkey in the 1500 m event at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships held in Istanbul, Turkey. Özbilen also represented Turkey at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, where he made the final of the 1500 meters, finishing 8th, with a time of 3:36.72. At the 2013 Mediterranean Games held in Mersin, Turkey, he became gold medalist in the 1500 m event.

At the 2013 Islamic Solidarity Games held in Palembang, Indonesia, he won a gold medal in the 1500 m event, a bronze medal in the 800 m event and a silver medal in the 4x400 m relay event with his teammates Batuhan Altıntaş, Halit Kılıç and Mehmet Güzel.[9]

In 2015, Özbilen competed in the 1500 metres at the European Indoor Championships. He came second place with a time 3:37.74, behind Jakub Holuša, the national record holder in the 1500 metres for the Czech Republic.

World records

14:36.23 minutes (2009, Memorial Van Damme)

International competitions

Representing
2009World Athletics FinalThessaloniki, Greecebgcolor=gold1st1500 m3:35.04
Representing
2012World Indoor ChampionshipsIstanbul, Turkeybgcolor=silver 2nd1500 m3:45.35
2013 European Team Championships Super LeagueGateshead, United Kingdombgcolor=silver 2nd800 m1:47.39
bgcolor=gold 1st1500 m3:38.57
European Indoor ChampionshipsGothenburg, Swedenbgcolor=silver 2nd1500 m3:37.22
Mediterranean GamesMersin, Turkeybgcolor=gold 1st800 m
bgcolor=gold 1st1500 m3:35.09
Islamic Solidarity GamesPalembang, Indonesiabgcolor=cc9966 3rd800 m1:45.65
bgcolor=gold 1st1500 m3:39.69
bgcolor=silver 2nd4×400 m relay3:06.43
2015European Indoor ChampionshipsPrague, Czech Republicbgcolor=silver 2nd1500 m3:37.74
Beijing, China22nd (sf)1500 m3:45.70
2016Olympic GamesRio de Janeiro, Brazil35th (h)1500 m3:49.02
2018Mediterranean GamesTarragona, Spain11th1500 m3:48.27

Notes and References

  1. News: Tanui ve Kemboi için onay çıktı . Birgün . 2 March 2012 . Turkish . 10 March 2012.
  2. Web site: World Junior Records - Men . . 23 July 2011.
  3. Web site: Oldest World record goes down in Brussels as Kenya dominates 4x1500. David Powell . IAAF . 4 September 2009 . 23 July 2011 .
  4. News: Türkiye vatanım! . . 11 March 2012 . Turkish . 11 March 2012.
  5. Web site: IAAF News - Newsletter . 29 June 2011 . 23 July 2011 . IAAF.
  6. Web site: 14th IAAF World Championships - Biographical Entry List . pdf . IAAF . Butler, Mark . 8 March 2012.
  7. News: Turkish athletes of Kenyan origin on board national team. . 29 February 2012 . 7 March 2012 .
  8. Web site: IAAF'tan iyi haber! . Sporx . 28 February 2012 . 7 March 2012 . Turkish.
  9. Web site: Athletics-Results . The 3rd Islamic Solidarity Games . 3 October 2013.