Benjamin Maiyo
KENYA
BIRTHDATE:
October 6, 1978
PERSONAL BEST:
2:07:09 (Chicago, 2005)
WORLD MARATHON MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS:
07Oct07 The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon 5th 2:16:59
16Apr07 Boston Marathon 6th 2:16:04
22Oct06 The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon 8th 2:11:53
17Apr06 Boston Marathon 2nd 2:08:21
09Oct05 The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon 2nd 2:07:09
10Oct04 The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon 9th 2:13:17
ADDITIONAL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
06Mar05 City of Los Angeles Marathon 2nd 2:09:45
CAREER NOTES:
In 2000, Ben Maiyo was second in the 3000m in the Athens Grand Prix, setting a personal record of 7:32.36, the sixth-fastest time in the world that year. He also ran a personal best in the 5000m (13:02.28), finishing second in Lausanne. His personal best in the 10,000m came in 2001 in Palo Alto, with a second-place time of 27:07.55. Maiyo's biggest victory on U.S. soil came at the 2004 Albertson's Bay to Breakers 12K where he won by 11 seconds in 34:50.
At The 2004 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, Maiyo acted as a pacer to the men’s lead group, and went on to finish ninth in 2:13:17. He set a then personal best in the marathon of 2:09:45 in a second-place finish at the 2005 Los Angeles Marathon. Maiyo was nominated to represent Kenya in the Marathon at the 2005 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, but chose instead to run in The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. Maiyo battled a deep field to finish seven seconds behind champion Felix Limo. His 2:07:09 performance was a two-and-a-half minute PR.
In April 2006, Maiyo made a bold move for victory at the Boston Marathon, leading the field halfway in a startling 1:02:43. He eventually finished second behind Robert K. Cheruiyot in 2:08:21 and then in a rematch at The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, Cheruiyot was again the victor as Maiyo finished eighth.
Running under the difficult weather conditions at both Boston and Chicago in 2007, Maiyo finished sixth in the former race and fifth in the latter.
PERSONAL NOTES:
Maiyo is from Kitale, Kenya and is coached by Dieter Hogan and trains with Kimbia teammates. His uncle, Joseph Chesire, finished fourth in the 1500 meters at both the 1984 and 1992 Olympics. Maiyo is employed by the Kenyan police and is married with two children and has a small farm.
