Timothy Cheruiyot (born 20 November 1995) is a Kenyan middle-distance runner specialising in the 1500 metres. He is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medallist in the event and the 11th fastest athlete all time over the distance. At the World Athletics Championships, Cheruiyot won the silver medal in 2017 in London, and a gold in 2019 in Doha.
He took the silver medal in his specialty event at the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games, and is also a two-time African Championship silver medallist from 2016 and 2018. Cheruiyot won the 1500 m Diamond League title on four occasions: in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021.
Cheruiyot is from the town of Singorwet, in Bomet County, Kenya, and lives on a farm with his family. Beginning in 2014, he began to train in the outskirts of Nairobi, via the Rongai Athletics Club, under Coach Bernard Ouma.
Cheruiyot's first major milestone in his career was competing on Kenya's Distance Medley Relay (DMR) team at the 2015 IAAF World Relays in The Bahamas. Team Kenya's goal was to improve on their existing DMR world record of 9:15.56 set back in 2006, but the new world record ended up going to the United States, in a time of 9:15.50, while Kenya finished second in a time of 9:17.20. Cheruiyot anchored this DMR (1600 m leg) against the United States' Ben Blankenship.
Cheruiyot would have a rematch against Blankenship three weeks later at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, in the men's International Mile. Blankenship won in a time of 3:55.72, while Cheruiyot finished 3rd in a time of 3:55.80.
Cheruiyot then switched attention to the 1500 m at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing. Here, he made it through the rounds and took 7th place in the final in a time of 3:36.05.
In 2016, Cheruiyot won the 1500 m at the Rabat Diamond League, in a personal best time of 3:33.61. He also took a silver medal in the 1500m at the African Championships in Durban (3:39.71), and finished 2nd in the Emsley Carr Mile (3:53.17) at the Anniversary Games in London.
However, despite his successes, Cheruiyot took 4th place in the 1500 m final at the Kenyan Olympic Trials and was therefore unable to represent Kenya at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Although disappointed by not making Kenya's Olympic Team, Cheruiyot had another breakthrough by winning the 1500 m at the Brussels Diamond League, in a personal best time of 3:31.34.
2017: World Silver Medallist & First Diamond League Title
On 18 June, Cheruiyot won the 1500 m at the Stockholm Diamond League in a new personal best of 3:30.77. He followed it up by finishing second at the Kenyan World Championship Trials, qualifying him for the 2017 World Championships in London. On 21 July, Cheruiyot finished second at the Monaco Diamond League in 3:29.10, his first time under the 3:30-barrier.
At the aforementioned World Championships, Cheruiyot won the silver medal, finishing behind compatriot Elijah Manangoi. In his final race of the season, Cheruiyot won at the Diamond League Final in a time of 3:33.93.
2018: Second Diamond League Title
At the Commonwealth Games held on the Gold Coast, Cheruiyot claimed the silver medal in the 1500 m. On 12 May, he won the Shanghai Diamond League in a time of 3:31.48. He continued his good form by winning the mile at the Prefontaine Classic in 3:49.87. He went on to win at the Monaco Diamond League on 20 July, running 3:28.41 - a time which would be the world lead for the 2018 season. Cheruiyot won at the Diamond League Final in Zurich, in a time of 3:30.27.
At the end of the season, Cheruiyot was nominated for World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year.
2019: World Champion and Third Diamond League Title
On 30 June, Cheruiyot won the mile at the Prefontaine Classic in 3:50.49. He also won over 1500 m at the Laussane and Monaco Diamond Leagues in 3:28.77 and 3:29.97, respectively. On 22 August, Cheruiyot won the 800 m at the Kenyan National Championships, in a time of 1:43.11, his first time under the 1:44-barrier. He then won over 1500 m at the Kenyan World Championship Trials on 13 September to secure his place at the World Championships in Doha. At the World Championships, Cheruiyot won gold in the 1500 m. In a "superb display of dominance", he won by 2.12 s, the largest winning margin in World Championship 1500 m history.
2020-2021: Covid Pandemic, Olympic Silver Medal, Fourth Diamond League Title