Yasemin Can (born Vivian Jemutai on 11 December 1996[3]) is a Kenyan female long distance runner representing Turkey who specialises in the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres.[4][5][6][7] She is the reigning 10,000 m European champion.[8] Can is a six-time European Championship medalist, including three gold medals and the 5000 m/10,000 m double in 2016, and a four-time European Cross Country champion.

Yasemin Can
Personal information
Birth nameVivian Jemutai
NationalityKenyan
Turkish
Born (1996-12-11) 11 December 1996 (age 27)
Nairobi, Kenya
Height1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight49 kg (108 lb)[1]
Sport
CountryTurkey
SportLong-distance running
ClubEnkaspor (Istanbul)[2]
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)5000 m: 14:36.82 (2017)
10,000 m: 30:26.41 (2016)
Medal record

She competed for Kenya before 13 March 2016, when she officially became eligible to represent Turkey at international competitions.[9][10] Can is the Turkish record holder for the half marathon, and the Turkish indoor record holder for the 3000 m and 5000 m. She is a two-time Turkish champion.

Career

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Can earned a quota spot for the women's 5000 m event in the 2016 Rio Olympics running 15:08.46 at the Turkish Indoor Championships in Istanbul.[6] She secured another quota spot for the 10,000 m event running 31:30.58 at the Turkish Championships in Mersin. She set a new European under-23 record with her time.[11]

She took part at the Golden Gala leg of 2016 IAAF Diamond League in Rome, Italy, and placing sixth in the 5000 m in a time of 14:37.61.[12]

Can won the gold medal in the women's 10,000 m at the 2016 European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Her time of 31:12.86 improved her own European U23 record by 18 seconds.[13] She won her second gold medal in the 5000 m at the same championship.[14]

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, she was a finalist in the fastest 10,000 m race in the history, placing seventh with a personal best time of 30:26.41.[15]

On 5 March 2017, Can won a silver medal in the 3000 m at the 2017 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade behind Laura Muir.[3]

Can won gold medals in the women's 10,000 m and 5000 m at the 2017 European Athletics U23 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.[3]

In 2020, she competed in the women's half marathon at the 2020 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships held in Gdynia, Poland.[16]

On 15 August 2022, Can won the gold medal and regained her European 10,000 m title at Munich 2022, finishing in a time of 30:32.57.[8] She placed second in the 5000 m behind Konstanze Klosterhalfen and ahead of Eilish McColgan three days later.[3]

Achievements

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International competitions

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Representing   Turkey
Year Competition Venue Position Event Result Notes
2015 Universiade Gwangju, South Korea 11th Half marathon 1:20:18
3rd Team 3:55:37
2016 European Championships Amsterdam, Netherlands 1st 5000 m 15:18.15
1st 10,000 m 31:12.86 EL
Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 6th 5000 m 14:56.96
7th 10,000 m 30:26.41 PB
European Cross Country Championships Chia, Italy 1st Senior race 24:46
1st Senior team 35 pts
2017 European Indoor Championships Belgrade, Serbia 2nd 3000 m i 8:43.46 NR
Islamic Solidarity Games Baku, Azerbaijan 2nd 5000 m 14:53.50
1st 10,000 m 31:18.20 GR
European U23 Championships Bydgoszcz, Poland 1st 5000 m 15:01.67 CR
1st 10,000 m 31:39.80 CR
World Championships London, United Kingdom 16th (h) 5000 m 15:08.20
11th 10,000 m 31:35.48
European Cross Country Championships Šamorín, Slovakia 1st Senior race 26:48
3rd Senior team 54 pts
2018 European Championships Berlin, Germany 3rd 5000 m 14:57.63 SB
4th 10,000 m 32:34.34
European Cross Country Championships Tilburg, Netherlands 1st Senior race 26:05
7th Senior team 88 pts
2019 European Cross Country Championships Lisbon, Portugal 1st Senior race 26:52
4th Senior team 53 pts
2020 World Half Marathon Championships Gdynia, Poland 7th Half marathon 1:06:20 NR
6th Team 3:31:39
2021 Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan 8th 5000 m 14:46.49
11th 10,000 m 31:10.05 SB
European Cross Country Championships Dublin, Ireland 14th Senior race 28:38
2022 European 10,000 m Cup Pacé, France 1st 10,000 m 31:20.18 EL
2nd Team 1:37:14.68
Mediterranean Games Oran, Algeria 1st 5000 m 15:23.47
Islamic Solidarity Games Konya, Turkey 1st 5000 m 16:23.1h
1st 10,000 m 32:34.33 IRM
European Championships Munich, Germany 2nd 5000 m 14:56.91
1st 10,000 m 30:32.57 SB
European Cross Country Championships Turin, Italy Senior race DNF
2023 European Indoor Championships Istanbul, Turkey 12th (h) 3000 m 9:01.341

1Did not finish in the final

Personal bests

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Road

National titles

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References

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  1. ^ "Rio 2016 bio". Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Yasemin Can" (in Turkish). Türkiye Milli Olimpik Komitesi. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d "Yasemin CAN – Athlete Profile". World Athletics. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  4. ^ "Yasemin Can". IAAF. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  5. ^ "Yasemin Can". IAAF Diamond League. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Ataköy'de ilk gün 4 rekor". Atletizm Dünyası (in Turkish). 20 February 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  7. ^ "Yasemin Can". European Athletics. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Former champion Can regains her 10,000m title with masterful surge in Munich". European Athletics. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  9. ^ Bloom, Ben (7 July 2016). "Seven Kenyans, two Jamaicans and a Cuban competing for Turkey". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  10. ^ "Eligibility – transfer of allegiance )Transfers that have taken place as at 29 March 2016)" (PDF). IAAF. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  11. ^ "Milli Atletler Meryem Akda, Yasemin Can ve Polat Kemboi Arıkan'dan Büyük Başarı". Habercisiz (in Turkish). 1 May 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  12. ^ "Yasemin Can 5000 metrede Avrupa'nın lideri" (in Turkish). Türkiye Atletizm Federasyonu. 2 June 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  13. ^ "Yasemin Can wins Women's 10000m gold at 2016 European Athletics Championships". Daily Sabah. 6 July 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  14. ^ "Yasemin Can'dan tarihi duble!". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 10 July 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  15. ^ "Yasemin Can PB in Rio". Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  16. ^ "Women's Half Marathon" (PDF). 2020 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
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