Paul Chelimo
School: UNCG (SoCon member 1997-present)
Sport: Cross Country/Track & Field
Years Competed: 2011-14
Major/Degree: Public health
Relevant Statistics
2011 Cross Country: Won SoCon Championship; 2nd at NCAA Southeast Regional, setting school 10K record; 13th at NCAA Championships (All-America)
2011-12 Indoor: SoCon mile champion and DMR champion (later vacated); won the 3,000-meter run at the Meyo Invitational and the mile at the Spire Invitational, both with school-record times; 4th in the 3,000m at the NCAA Indoor Championships (All-America)
2012 Outdoor: SoCon 1,500-meter champion; set school record in the event at the Raleigh Relays; lowered own school record in the 5,000-meter run at the Payton Jordan Invitational; won the 5,000m at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds; 2nd in event at NCAA Outdoor Championships (All-America)
2012 Cross Country: Won SoCon Championship; 2nd at NCAA Southeast Regional, erasing own school 10K record; 10th at NCAA Championships (All-America), again erasing own school 10K record; set school 8K record at Greater Louisville Classic
2012-13 Indoor: SoCon 3,000m champion;
2013 Outdoor: Won 5,000m at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds; 2nd in event at NCAA Outdoor Championships (All-America)
2013 Cross Country: Won SoCon Championship; Won NCAA Southeast Regional; 82nd at NCAA Championships
Team Record(s)/Finishes
Team SoCon Championship results:
2011-12: Cross Country (1st - title later vacated); Indoor (8th); Outdoor (8th)
2012-13: Cross Country (3rd); Indoor (5th); Outdoor (8th)
2013-14: Cross Country (4th); Indoor (did not compete); Outdoor (turned pro before SoCon Championship)
Conference Honors/Awards
- SoCon 100th Anniversary Cross Country team
- SoCon Cross Country Runner of the Year in 2011, 2012 and 2013
- Seven-time SoCon champion (XC 3 times; 3,000m, 1,500m, mile, DMR)
- Seven-time SoCon Runner of the Week (3 XC, 2 ITK, 2 OTK)
- Four-time SoCon Runner of the Month (3 XC, 1 ITK)
National Honors/Awards
- Five-time NCAA All-American: (XC in 2011 and 2012; ITK 3,000m in 2012; OTK 5,000m in 2012 and 2013)
- 2013 Cross Country Southeast Regional Athlete of the Year
Academic Honors/Awards
- Second-team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2013
- Academic All-SoCon Fall 2012, Winter 2012-13, Spring 2013, Fall 2014
- SoCon Academic Honor Roll 2012-13
- Earned two prestigious UNCG scholarships, the Aaron Bobb Scholarship and the Irwin Belk Athletic Scholarship
Professional Career
- After leaving UNCG, entered the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program and earned U.S. citizenship
- First-ever U.S. Olympian in UNCG history; won silver medal in the 5,000-meter run at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016; first U.S. medal-winner in the event since 1964
- Won bronze at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo in the 5,000-meter run
- Won titles at the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships in the 2-mile in 2017; 1,500m and 3,000m in 2018; and 3,000m in 2020
- Won 5,000m titles at the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships in 2017 and 2018
- Won the 3,000m at the IAAF Continental Cup in 2018
- Earned bronze in the 5,000m at the IAAF World Championships in 2017
Other Notable Information
Earned inaugural “Spirit of the Spartan” Award in 2016