View source for Julius Kariuki

{{Short description|Kenyan steeplechase runner}}
{{BLP one source|date=March 2025}}
{{MedalTableTop}}
{{MedalCountry | {{KEN}} }}
{{MedalSport | Men's [[Athletics (sport)|Athletics]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Seoul]]|[[Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's 3000 metres Steeplechase|3000 m steeplechase]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1990 Commonwealth Games|1990 Auckland]]|[[1990 Commonwealth Games#Athletics|3000 m steeplechase]]}}
{{MedalBottom}}

'''Julius Kariuki''' (born June 12, 1961) is the winner of the 3,000 m steeplechase at the [[1988 Summer Olympics]].

Born in [[Nyahururu]], [[Kenya]], Kariuki's athletic career started slowly. He made his international debut at the [[1984 Summer Olympics]], where he finished seventh in the 3000 m steeplechase.

The following year, Kariuki won the steeplechase at the [[African Championships in Athletics]], and then followed that up with a victory in a slow race at the [[IAAF World Cup]]. At the [[Seoul]] [[Olympic Games|Olympics]], Kariuki was mostly considered as the third-string Kenyan runner, but in the final, after a very fast start, Kariuki and his fellow countryman [[Peter Koech]] broke clear, and a lap later, Kariuki sped away from his more experienced teammate, and went on to win the gold medal. He slowed down in the last few metres and finished in a time of 8:05.51, just outside [[Henry Rono]]'s world record of 8:05.40.

In 1989, Kariuki won the 10,000 m at the [[Universiade]] and the 3000 m steeplechase again in the IAAF World Cup. In 1990, he won gold easily at the [[1990 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]] and finished fourth at the [[1991 World Championships in Athletics|following year's World Championships]]. Kariuki remained one of the world's top steeplechasers for several more years after that, but the dominance of Kenyan talent was so great, that he was never able again to gain representation on the national team to a major international championship.

== References ==
*{{World Athletics}}

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{{succession box|before={{flagicon|ITA}} [[Francesco Panetta]]|title=[[Steeplechase (athletics)#Men.27s seasons best .28outdoor.29|Men's 3,000 m Steeple Best Year Performance]]|years=1988|after={{flagicon|KEN}} [[Peter Koech]]}}
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{{Footer Olympic Champions 3000 m Steeplechase Men}}
{{Footer African Champions men's steeplechase}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions Steeple Men}}
{{Footer Universiade Champions 10000m Men}}
{{Footer IAAF World Cup Champions 3000m Steeplechase Men}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kariuki, Julius}}
[[Category:Kenyan men steeplechase runners]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Kenya]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1990 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Kenya]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Kenya]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games athletes for Kenya]]
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games gold medalists for Kenya]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1989 Summer Universiade]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1990 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:20th-century Kenyan sportsmen]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in athletics]]