Japheth Kimutai (born 20 December 1978 in Lelmokwo, Nandi District) is a Kenyan middle-distance runner who specialized in 800 metres.
In 1998 he won the gold medal at the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games in a time of 1:43.82. In the same year he won the African Championships 800 metres in Dakar, Senegal. He finished fourth at the 1998 IAAF World Cup.
In 1999 he won gold at the All-Africa Games.
In 2000 in Sydney for the Olympic Games Japheth failed to reach the final despite running the quickest time by a Kenyan in the games.
He had started his career brightly when in 1994 he won the silver medal at the World Junior Championships and then in 1997 when still a Junior set the World junior record in the 800 metres in a time of 1:43.64 in Zürich on 13 August 1997. The world junior record was beaten by Abubaker Kaki of Sudan in 2008.IAAF, 7 June 2008: Dibaba’s World record and Kaki’s World Junior mark leaves Oslo in awe
He is currently the Director Complete Sports Athletics Training Centre, Kaptagat.
Achievements Representing 1994World Junior ChampionshipsLisbon, Portugal2nd800m1:48.22 —4 × 400 m relayDQ1995African Junior ChampionshipsBouaké, Ivory Coast 1st800 m1:47.67 1st1500 m3:49.781996World Junior ChampionshipsSydney, Australia4th800m1:48.978th4 × 400 m relay3:09.041998African ChampionshipsDakar, Senegal 1st800 m1:45.82Commonwealth GamesKuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1st800 m1:43.821999World ChampionshipsSeville, Spain5th800 m1:45.18All-Africa GamesJohannesburg, South Africa 1st800 m1:44.912000Olympic GamesSydney, Australia12th (sf)800 m1:45.642002Commonwealth GamesManchester, United Kingdom5th800 m1:47.462003World ChampionshipsParis, France19th (sf)800 m1:47.53
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