| Intro | Kenyan middle distance runner |
| A.K.A. | Japheth Kimutai Butia |
| Is | Athlete |
| From | Kenya |
| Type | Sports |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 20 December 1978, Kenya, Kenya |
| Age: | 41 years |
| Star sign | Sagittarius |
Japheth Kimutai (born December 20, 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 August 13, 1997. The world junior record was beaten by Abubaker Kaki of Sudan in 2008.
Achievements
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representing Kenya | |||||
| 1994 | World Junior Championships | Lisbon, Portugal | 2nd | 800m | 1:48.22 |
| — | 4 × 400 m relay | DQ | |||
| 1995 | African Junior Championships | Bouaké, Ivory Coast | 1st | 800 m | 1:47.67 |
| 1st | 1500 m | 3:49.78 | |||
| 1996 | World Junior Championships | Sydney, Australia | 4th | 800m | 1:48.97 |
| 8th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:09.04 | |||
| 1998 | African Championships | Dakar, Senegal | 1st | 800 m | 1:45.82 |
| Commonwealth Games | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 1st | 800 m | 1:43.82 | |
| 1999 | World Championships | Seville, Spain | 5th | 800 m | 1:45.18 |
| All-Africa Games | Johannesburg, South Africa | 1st | 800 m | 1:44.91 | |
| 2000 | Olympic Games | Sydney, Australia | 12th (sf) | 800 m | 1:45.64 |
| 2002 | Commonwealth Games | Manchester, United Kingdom | 5th | 800 m | 1:47.46 |
| 2003 | World Championships | Paris, France | 19th (sf) | 800 m | 1:47.53 |