© Emma Bert / MARATHONS.COM
Isaac Kimeli signs with HOKA: “I will never forget that silver medal at the World Championships in Tokyo”
The start of the year often goes hand in hand with athlete transfers for brands. A few weeks ago, HOKA, the American company founded in France, made a major move by signing Isaac Kimeli, the 2025 world silver medallist in the 5000 m. Marathons.com sat down with him at his sponsor’s Paris offices to discuss his move, his career achievements and his future ambitions.
Isaac Kimeli. The name may not ring many bells if you are not a dedicated athletics fan. Yet he is a true champion. In September 2025 in Tokyo, the Belgian athlete claimed the silver medal in the 5000 m at the World Championships, finishing behind American Cole Hocker and ahead of France’s Jimmy Gressier.
That first global medal added to an already impressive résumé. Silver medallist in the 3000 m at the 2021 European Indoor Championships in Toruń, Poland, the distance runner, born in Kenya and who moved to Belgium at the age of 15, excels both on the track and in cross-country. A native of Uasin Gishu, he has competed at two Olympic Games, in Tokyo and Paris, and recently won the 5000 m at the Lausanne Diamond League in 13:07.67 on August 20, 2025.
| Spotted by a physical education teacher
During a public appearance in front of a Parisian audience at the HOKA store in Paris, the 5000 m and 10,000 m specialist explained that he first joined an athletics club thanks to a physical education teacher who spotted his potential. Isaac Kimeli was 16 at the time. Smiling, he recalled one of his very first races as a teenager. “Because I didn’t fully understand the language yet, I hadn’t realised the race was four laps long. I ran one lap flat out, then I was told it wasn’t over. I finished the race, but that day I ended up way back,” the athlete laughed.
Very quickly, the young runner confirmed his talent with several Belgian national titles, as well as European cross-country podium finishes. In 2013, he became European junior cross-country silver medallist, before winning his first gold medal at under-23 level in 2016. From the muddy fields to the track, the young talent went on to collect numerous European podiums, Diamond League successes, and top finishes at both the Olympic Games and World Championships.
| A world silver medal
It was in 2025 that the Belgian athlete truly broke through on the international stage, winning the world silver medal in the 5000 m. Isaac Kimeli also set the Belgian road records in both the 10 km, with a time of 27:10 in Valencia, and the 5 km, clocking 13:15 in Monaco. Not to mention his third-place finish at the European Road Running Championships in Belgium, where he ran 27:58.
At the start of 2026, the athlete, who had previously been racing under the Puma banner, recently signed with HOKA. Marathons.com had the opportunity to speak with him about this change of sponsor, his standout 2025 season, and his ambitions for the years ahead.
| Isaac, you’ve just signed a three-year deal with HOKA. What can you tell us about this new adventure?
Isaac Kimeli : I’m very happy to be signing with HOKA. It’s a human sized brand that gave me a very warm welcome and that is also very popular in Belgium. I find the apparel to be high quality and the shoes extremely high performing, especially the spikes. That’s a very important point for me, particularly for track competitions. I’m looking forward to testing more products and using them in my races.
| What are your favorite models?
I haven’t tested many yet because I signed only two weeks ago, so it’s still very recent. All I can say is that I tried a carbon prototype that hasn’t been released yet. I raced with it in Valencia and really liked it.
| Do you use carbon-plated shoes only in competition, or also in training?
Both. I use carbon-plated shoes in competition, but also in training. When I go on altitude training camps in Kenya, I rotate between different models to optimize recovery and for certain specific workouts.
| What will your goals be this year?
In 2026, I am targeting the Diamond League meetings in Paris on June 28, then Monaco on July 10, and Brussels on September 4 and 5, before focusing on the European Championships in Birmingham from August 10 to 16. The goal there will be to win a medal.
The start of the year has been a bit difficult. I thought I could run around 27:00 for the 10 km in Valencia, but a tendon injury after the World Championships slowed me down. I was not able to train as much as I wanted, even though I still managed to complete a four week training block. With a time of 27:29, it is decent, but it is not my true level. Without the injury, I believe I can break my own Belgian record and go under 27 minutes.
This winter, I will race the Paris Half Marathon on March 8. I will not do an indoor season or cross country, so that I can stay fully focused on that goal. I have never raced this distance before, so it will be my debut over the half marathon, and on top of that, HOKA is a partner of the race. For my first attempt, I am aiming to break the one hour barrier, ideally running 59 minutes.
I would also like to qualify for the Half Marathon World Championships in Copenhagen in September, which I will decide based on how my summer track season goes. This summer, I will most likely race the 1500 m, the 5000 m, and probably the 10,000 m as well.
| And what about the coming years? Are you considering moving up to the marathon?
I already have my plan in mind for the coming years. In 2026, I will focus on a track season that will run through to September. Then, in 2027, I plan to move up to the half marathon and the marathon. It will be a new challenge in my career. I’ll see how things go at the Paris Half Marathon. After that, in 2027, I intend to race two or three half marathons before stepping up to the marathon, maybe in Amsterdam or Valencia. Valencia is very fast, so why not. But for now, I am fully focused on the track before making the switch to the road.
| Let’s go back to your 2025 season, probably the finest of your career so far. You won the silver medal in the 5000 m at the World Championships in Tokyo. What memories do you take away from such a special season, and what does that world medal mean to you?
2025 was an incredible year. That silver medal at the World Championships in Tokyo is something I will never forget. I worked extremely hard to earn it. I also think about my victory at the Diamond League in Lausanne. I hope to run just as fast in 2026, or even faster. After becoming European silver medallist over 3000 m, winning a world medal over 5000 m represents an even higher level, competing against Kenyans, Ethiopians, and Americans. Before Tokyo, I wasn’t really well known. Now things are different, with more pressure. It’s up to me to keep improving and aim for gold.
| Are you already setting your sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games?
Yes, I’m already thinking about it. In 2028, I will most likely be competing in the marathon. I hope to deliver a strong performance and bring home a medal. I’ll know for sure in 2027, after my first experience over the distance, whether I truly have a chance.
| At the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, you chose to focus exclusively on the 5000 m rather than the 10,000 m, as you had done at the previous Olympic Games in Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2021. That decision clearly paid off in 2025, with a medal to show for it.
In 2021 in Tokyo, I doubled up in the 5000 m and the 10,000 m, but it was difficult to manage because there isn’t much time between the two races, only a few days to recover. After that, you still have to go straight into the heats of the 5000 m. So in 2025, I preferred to focus solely on the 5000 m, and that choice paid off. The 2025 season taught me the importance of concentrating on a single distance. The 5000 m is my strongest event, and it was the best decision to make.
| What are your dreams in athletics?
My ultimate dream is to win more medals, and why not an Olympic title. Everyone thinks about it. It is extremely hard to achieve. There is also a Belgian record that really motivates me, the outdoor 5000 m. It has stood since 2000, set by Mohammed Mourhit in 12:49.71. My goal will be to break it, it is something I think about a lot, just like the Belgian 10,000 m record from 1999, 26:52.30, also held by Mohammed Mourhit.
At 30 years old, Isaac Kimeli is building momentum with a string of victories and standout performances. The 5000 m world silver medallist established himself on the global athletics stage in 2025. In 2026, the Belgian athlete, now under contract with HOKA, stands at the dawn of a new chapter in his career, balancing the track with growing ambitions on the road.
Emma BERT
Journaliste