Peninah Arusei Jerop (born 1 January 1979) is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner who specialises inroad running competitions, especially thehalf marathon. She has representedKenya at the Olympics, having competed in the10,000 metres race at the2008 Beijing Olympics. Arusei has won races on the European road circuit, including theDam tot Damloop,Berlin Half Marathon andLisbon Half Marathon.
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She won theBaringo 15 km Road Race in 2007, finishing in a time of 50:52.[1] She represented Kenya at the2007 Military World Games and won the5000 metresgold medal, helping Kenyan top the athletics medal table.[2]
She finished eighteenth in the 10,000 metres at the2008 Olympic Games. Arusei competed at the2008 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships finishing fifth and won silver as part of the Kenyan team. She was victorious at theBerlin Half Marathon, Berlin 25K, and theDam tot Damloop road races that year, setting a 15 km personal best in the latter competition.
She won the 2009Berlin 25K race setting a new course record and 25 KilometresAfrican record of 1:22:31 hours, erasingCatherine Ndereba's previous mark.[3] Her African and course records did not last past the following edition, which was won in 2010 by another Kenyan,Mary Keitany, in a newworld record time (1:19:53).[4]
She began 2010 with a win at theLisbon Half Marathon, finishing with a time of 1:08:38.[5] She improved her personal best at theLille Half Marathon in September, running 1:07:48, but she was beaten to the finish line by débutanteFlorence Kiplagat.[6] Arusei was selected for the2010 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships as a result and she gained thebronze medal, forming the winning Kenyan team with Kiplagat andJoyce Chepkirui.[7] Her 2011 season stated at theParis Half Marathon and set a course record time to win the race.[8] Making her debut over the distance, she led at theVienna City Marathon for the first 30 km. However, she slowed in the heat and ended up in third place with a time of 2:27:17 hours.[9] At theAmsterdam Marathon, she was among the mid-race leaders but yet again fell behind in the second half, ending the race in sixth place.[10]
She returned to the Lisbon Half Marathon in 2012 and finished fourth on that occasion.[11]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing Kenya | |||||
| 2008 | Olympic Games | Beijing,China | 18th | 10,000 m | |
| World Half Marathon Championships | Rio de Janeiro,Brazil | 5th | Half marathon | Individual | |
| 2nd | Half marathon | Team | |||
| 2009 | World Half Marathon Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 19th | Half marathon | Individual |
| 2010 | World Half Marathon Championships | Nanning, China | 3rd | Half marathon | Individual |
| 1st | Half marathon | Team | |||
