Michael Kibet
Michael Kibet is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner. He won the 5000 m at the Kenyan Trials for the 2019 [World Athletics Championships], but was barred from competing at the meet by the Athletics Integrity Unit for not having had enough drug tests. In 2023, it was announced that Kibet was banned for four years from all high-level competitions due to a positive test from 20 September 2022.
Biography
Kibet began running at a young age, training in Iten, Kenya while representing the Kenyan Police Service. He made his international debut in April 2019, winning the GP Brasil Caixa de Atletismo 1500 m in a time of 3:38.85.On 13 September 2019, Kibet won the Kenyan World Championship Trials in a time of 13:26.83 for 5000 m. The surprising win led Kibet to be hailed as Kenya's best hope for global gold in the 5000 metres at [the World Athletics Championships], which had not been won by a Kenyan since 2005.
However, those hopes were quickly dashed when on 25 September, both Kibet and Trials runner-up Daniel Simiyu were barred from competing at the 2019 World Athletics Championships due to not having had enough drug tests performed before the competition. The Athletics Integrity Unit required at least three out-of-competition and one in-competition drug test per athlete, and because Kibet had only started competing internationally in 2019, he did not meet the requisite amount.
Despite this setback, Kibet continued to compete at a high level through 2022, winning the Kenyan pre-trials for the 2021 Summer Olympics. At the actual Kenyan Olympic Trials, Kibet ran the 4th fastest time in the heats but did not run in the 5000 m finals held on the same day.