Paul Tanui is a professional long-distance runner who represents Kenya on an international level. He is also a one-time Olympic silver medalist.
The Olympic medalist won the silver medal in the 10,000 m race at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Moreover, he has won three bronze medals at the World Championships.
Likewise, he also won silver at the 2011 World Cross Country Championships held in Punta Umbria. Not to mention, the runner has landed in the first place team races.
He secured the first position in the 2009 World Cross Country Championships’ Junior race category. Similarly, Tanui again won first place in the 2010 and 2011 Championships’ Senior race category.
The runner grew up in the Komora estate, where being a professional runner was not common. He recalls how his neighbors would stare at him while he went on jogs, which was quite unusual for them.
However, Tanui was determined to live his dream and would run any chance he got. He was patient and had faith in his skills and abilities.
Moreover, he was always hungry to learn more, and be better every day and saw failures as an opportunity to learn more. The athlete gave Mo Farah a tough run for his gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Before getting into details about the athlete’s life and career, here are some quick facts about him.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Paul Kipng’etich Tanui |
| Birth Date | 22 December 1990 |
| Birth Place | Nakuru, Kenya |
| Nick Name | Not Available |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | African |
| Ethnicity | Nakuru African |
| Education | Keroka Technical Training Insitute |
| Horoscope | Capricorn |
| Father’s Name | Not Available |
| Mother’s Name | Not Available |
| Siblings | Six |
| Age | 33 years old |
| Height | 5’5″ (1.68 m) |
| Weight | 103 lbs (47 kgs) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Build | Athletic |
| Profession | Long-distance runner |
| Current Team | Kenyan National Team |
| Olympic Medals | One; Silver medal |
| Active Years | 2007 – Present |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Girlfriend | Not Available |
| Kids | None |
| Net Worth | Est. $1 million – $4 million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Merchandise | Track and Field Equipment |
| 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships | Silver Medal |
| Last Updated | March, 2024 |
Paul Tanui | Early Life, Family, and Education
Paul Tanui was born and raised in Komora estate, outskirts of Nakuru, Kenya. He grew up in a family with six siblings and two loving parents.
Despite being a whole house, his parents made sure that each and every one of their children got to live out their dreams and experience life the way they wanted to. Similarly, the siblings looked after one another.
The city of Nakuru is an agricultural city, and farming is the main occupation and source of income for most people. Hence, Tanui’s parents are also farmers.
Whenever the athlete is not running, he engages in farming like most of his family and neighbors. Paul takes great pride in doing what he does but is also humble enough not to forget his roots.
Ever since he was a kid, he loved athletics and only watched athletes on TV. As a result, the runner was heavily influenced by them and dreamed of running like them one day.
Education
Initially, Paul studied at Mau Primary School and later enrolled at Keroka Technical Training Insitute in 2006.
The principal of the institute, Evans Bosire, was impressed by his skills and saw a lot of potential in Paul during his training period. After two years with Bosire, the runner qualified for the Kenyan National Team in 2008.
Before that, he ran in local races, so he and his family were quite ecstatic when he received the opportunity to represent Kenya internationally.
At first, he did not qualify for the World Cross Country Championship, but he kept his head in the game and worked hard to sharpen his skills and speed. As a result, he was able to run at the Championship after finishing second in the 2009 Kenyan trials.
The runner’s parents and siblings were on cloud nine, and his mother was pleased to see him be the first in the family to board a plane. Furthermore, Tanui was grateful as all his hard work had finally paid off.
Learn More About Pole Vaulting athlete Sandi Morris: Pole Vault, Husband & Net Worth >>
Paul Tanui | Age, Height, and Weight
Since the Kenyan runner was born on 22 December 1990, he is 33 years old as of March, 2024. As an athlete, Tanui takes great care of his health and diet.
Hence, he is pretty fit and has a toned physique. Besides that, he is 5 feet 5 inches (1.68 m) tall and weighs 103 lbs (47 kgs).
Paul Tanui | Long Distance Running Career
Tanui used to run local races before he made it to the Kenyan National Team in 2008. Initially, he did not cut to compete in the 2008 World Cross Country Championship.
However, the following year, he finished in fourth place in the individual category and first place while competing. When the Championship was held in Bydgoszcz, Poland, he ran in the senior race the following year.
Paul finished in eighth place in the individual race but won the team race. After that, he trained harder and focused on himself and his abilities.
As a result, the runner won a silver medal at the 2011 World Cross Country Championships after finishing second.
After that, Paul tried out for the London Olympics. However, his travel documents arrived late, so he was late for the trials, and the jet lag from traveling did not help.
Hence, he failed to qualify. The silver medalist grabbed a bronze medal at the 2015 and 2017 World Championships.
In 2016, he finally made it to the Olympics and competed against legendary runners like Mo Farah and Tamirat Tola to claim the silver medal.
Tanui still dreams of winning gold for his country. As a result, he works very hard and competes with himself every day to be the best version of himself.
You Might Be Interested In Olympic Gold Medalist Mo Farah Net Worth: Salary & Career Earnings.
Paul Tanui | Marriage, Wife, and Kids
Currently, the runner is not married, and neither does he have a girlfriend. As of now, he is focused on developing his growing career.
Moreover, his career requires him to travel a lot, and he might have difficulty maintaining a relationship. Nevertheless, he will eventually have a wife and a marriage when he feels ready to.
However, the athlete might be linked to someone in his hometown; we may never know as he keeps his private personal life. Likewise, he hasn’t shared a single picture of his partner on his social media platforms.
Hence, we believe the runner might be single. Besides that, he does not have any kids of his own either.
Paul Tanui | Net Worth, Earnings, and Endorsements
The Kenyan runner earns most of his wealth through running in different events and sponsorships.
His net worth is estimated to be between $1 million and $4 million.
However, his earning details are not disclosed to the public yet. Moreover, he is one of the most famous athletes in Kenya and is well respected in his country and city.
As a result, he receives many local endorsement deals. Not to mention, many sources report that famous sportswear company Nike also sponsors him.
Hence, it is safe to say that Paul makes decent earnings through his career and endorsement deals.
Paul Tanui | Social Media Presence
The athlete is quite active on different social media platforms. Hence, he has an Instagram handle with over two thousand followers.
The Kenyan runner mostly shares his life as a professional runner through his account. In the majority of his posts, he is in his running attire and on the track field.
Likewise, the long-distance runner has posed for photos alongside his fellow runners, colleagues, and competitors. Tanui also took some time out of his day to wish the best to his friends who competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
As of now, he is training hard and taking it one day at a time. Besides that, Tanui loves showing the beauty of Kenya and Africa.
The Olympic silver medalist has shared pictures of crops, fresh fruits, animals, forests, and nature. Similarly, he likes to flex his cooking skills every once in a while.
Moreover, the decorated Kenyan player can be seen farming and planting while he is not running. Furthermore, he is also on Twitter with over 3.9 thousand followers.
He mainly shares running and Olympic-related news, events, and highlights through his Twitter handle. However, he is less active on Twitter as compared on Instagram.
Get All The Details About An Olympian and a world record holder, Sandi Morris: Pole Vault, Husband & Net Worth >>
Paul Tanui | FAQs
Did Paul Tanui win the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships?
Yes, he finished second and won the silver medal at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
Did Paul Tanui represent Kenya in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics?
No, he did not represent Kenya in the Tokyo Olympics. Although he was training hard, he most likely did not qualify.
When asked about his competitors before the World Championship qualifications, Tanui said, “I don’t run to beat somebody. I run to beat myself. So my main focus is to go out there and perform to the best of my abilities.”
Nevertheless, he is still looking forward to qualifying for the upcoming Olympics and bringing home a gold medal for his country. Hence, to fulfill this dream, he works on himself relentlessly.
