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{{Infobox sportsperson
|image= Irina Mikitenko.jpg
|image_size=
|caption= Irina Mikitenko winning the German 10,000 metres Championship in 2006
|birth_date= {{birth date and age|1972|8|23}}
|birth_place=
|height= {{height|m=1.61}}
|weight= {{Unit weight|kg|48}}
|country= {{GER}}
|sport = Athletics
|event=[[Marathon]]
|medaltemplates =
}}
'''Irina Mikitenko''', [[Married and maiden names|''née'']] '''Volynskaya''' ({{lang-ru|Ирина Волынская (Микитенко)}}; born 23 August 1972 in [[Bakanas]], [[Kazakh SSR]], [[Soviet Union]]), is a [[Kazakhstan]]-born [[Germany|German]] [[long-distance runner]] who competes in [[marathon]]s. She won the [[Berlin Marathon]] in 2008 and is a two-time winner of the [[London Marathon]]. She has competed at the [[Summer Olympics]] on four occasions.

Mikitenko was a [[track running|track]] specialist in the early part of her career, running in distances from [[3000 metres]] to [[10,000 metres]]. She represented Kazakhstan at the [[1996 Atlanta Olympics]] in the [[5000 metres]] but migrated to Germany soon after. Taking up German citizenship, she ran [[German records in athletics|German records]] in the 3000 m (8:30.39 minutes) and 5000 m (14:42.03 minutes). She came close to a major 5000 m medal on several occasions: at the [[World Championships in Athletics]] she was fourth in [[1999 World Championships in Athletics|1999]] and fifth in 2001, while at the [[2000 Summer Olympics]] took fifth place. After a seventh-place finish in the event at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] she took a career break to have a child.

Upon her return to competition she began focusing on [[road running]] events. The change up to the [[marathon]] brought the greatest success of her career. A run of 2:19:19 hours to win the Berlin Marathon made her the fourth fastest woman ever at that point. Her win in London the year after in 2:22:11 hours was the fastest that year. With consistent marathon performances, she secured three consecutive [[World Marathon Majors]] title in both the 2007-08, 2008–09, and 2009–10 seasons. She entered her first [[2012 Summer Olympics|Olympic marathon in 2012]] and came fourteenth.

==Early career==
Mikitenko began participating in long-distance running at the age of 14. Under her maiden name of Volynskaya, she represented Kazakhstan in the [[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics - Women's 5000 metres|5,000 metres]] at the [[1996 Olympic Games]], but failed to make the finals. Since she has German ancestors, she and her husband immigrated in 1996 to the German state of [[Hesse]].

In 1998, she became the German record holder in the [[10,000 metres]], and the year after, in the 5,000 metres. In the 5,000 metres, she bettered [[Kathrin Weßel]]'s time of 14:54.32 with her fourth-place time of 14:50.17 at the [[1999 World Athletics Championships]]. On 7 September of the same year, she set the current German record of 14:42.03 minutes in [[Berlin]].

A year later, Mikitenko became the German champion in [[cross-country running]], defending her national title over 5,000 metres. She won twice consecutively at [[Luxembourg]]'s prestigious [[Eurocross]] meeting in 1999 and 2000.<ref name=ARRS>Civai, Franco & Gasparovic, Juraj (2009-02-28). [http://www.arrs.net/HP_DiekirchXC.htm Eurocross 10.2 km (men) + 5.3 km (women)]. [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]. Retrieved 1 March 2010.</ref> In August 2000, she broke the 17-year-old record of [[Brigitte Kraus]] in the [[3000 metres|3,000 metres]]. She placed fifth in the 5,000 metres at the [[2000 Olympic Games]] in [[Sydney]], and finished in the same position at the [[2001 World Athletics Championships]] in [[Edmonton]].

In 2003, she won the Paderborner Osterlauf, a 10-km [[road running|road-running]] race in [[Germany]], finishing in a record time of 31:28 minutes. She also won the Bietigheimer Silvesterlauf race that year, and participated in the [[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's 5000 metres|5,000 metres]] at the [[2004 Olympic Games]].

==Marathon running==
[[File:Irina Mikitenko at the Berlin Marathon 2011.jpg|thumb|Mikitenko during Berlin Marathon 2011]]
After having a baby, Mikitenko returned to competition in 2006, again becoming the German champion in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres. In the [[2006 European Championships in Athletics|2006 European Championships]], she placed ninth, one place behind long-time rival [[Sabrina Mockenhaupt]].

In 2007, she placed second behind [[Benita Johnson]] in the [[Berlin Half Marathon]], achieving a personal-best time of 1:09:46 hours. In September 2007 she made her [[marathon]] debut at the Berlin Marathon, finishing second and qualifying for the [[2008 Summer Olympics]].

In April 2008, at only her second international marathon, she won the women's [[London Marathon]] in a time of 2:24:12. She withdrew from the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in Beijing due to hip problems causing pain whilst running on 1 August 2008. Healthy again, on 28 September, she improved her own German record at the [[Berlin Marathon]] almost by five minutes to 2:19:19, making her number four on the women's marathon all-time list.

On 2 November 2008, Mikitenko won the jackpot prize of 500,000 $US of the [[World Marathon Majors]] (WMM) for the best performer in New York, London, Chicago, Berlin and Boston within the last two years. After twelve competitions she was in a tie with Ethiopia's [[Gete Wami]] with 65 points each, but the organisation voted her the winner, awarding her the prize because she had competed in only three races, compared to Wami's four.

She repeated her performance at the London Marathon in 2009, finishing with a time of 2:22:11, one minute ahead of Britain's [[Mara Yamauchi]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Wilson|first=Steve|date=26 April 2009|accessdate=9 August 2009|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/london-marathon/5224352/2009-London-Marathon-Irina-Mikitenko-wins-womens-race-with-Mara-Yamauchi-second.html|title=2009 London Marathon: Irina Mikitenko wins women’s race with Mara Yamauchi second|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref> Following the death of her father in July, Mikitenko struggled to find form in the buildup to the [[2009 World Championships in Athletics|2009 World Championships]]. Jurgen Mallow, director for the German athletics team, said her withdrawal was a blow for the team hosting the championships, stating that she "did not manage to hit World Championship form in the St. Moritz altitude training camp. We are very, very sad about this".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8191596.stm|title=Hurdler Pechonkina to miss Berlin|department=[[BBC Sport]]|date=8 August 2009|accessdate=9 August 2009}}</ref> Finally she participated in the October 2009 [[Chicago Marathon]], winning with an official time of 2:26:31 and won the half-million dollar WMM jackpot for a second consecutive year.

[[File:Irina Mikitenko - 2012 Olympic Womens Marathon.jpg|thumb|left|Mikitenko competing at her fourth Olympics in London in 2012]]

She had a seven-month lay-off after the Chicago run and decided not to run at the Paderborn 10K, which was her preparation for the [[2010 London Marathon]], due to sore shins.<ref>{{cite news|date=23 April 2010 |last=Brown|first=Matthew|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/preview/despite-challenges-wanjiru-and-mikitenko-read|title=Despite challenges, Wanjiru and Mikitenko ready to defend - London Marathon preview|publisher=IAAF |accessdate=6 May 2016}}</ref> She attempted to defend her London title but her shin problems persisted and she dropped out mid-race – a fate which also befell defending men's champion [[Samuel Wanjiru]].<ref>{{cite news|date=25 April 2010|last=Brown|first=Matthew|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/commanding-victories-for-kebede-and-shobukhov|title=Commanding victories for Kebede and Shobukhova - London Marathon report|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=6 May 2016}}</ref> She signed up for the [[2010 Chicago Marathon]] but, despite having the fastest time in qualifying, she faded in the second half of the race and ended up in fourth place. She claimed her third consecutive WMM jackpot.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-10-11/wanjiru-shobukhova-repeat-at-chicago-marathon/2292332|title=Wanjiru, Shobukhova repeat at Chicago Marathon|agency=[[Agence France-Presse|AFP]]|publisher=[[NBC News]]|date=10 October 2010|accessdate=6 May 2016}}</ref>

She claimed victory at the 2011 [[Parelloop]] 10K in April.<ref>{{cite news|last=van Hemert|first=Wim|date=3 April 2011|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/kogo-runs-2715-on-the-roads-in-brunssum|title=Kogo runs 27:15 on the roads in Brunssum|publisher=[[International Association of Athletics Federations|IAAF]]|accessdate=6 May 2016}}</ref> Running at the [[2011 London Marathon]], she could not keep pace with the race leaders and ended the race in seventh while [[Mary Jepkosgei Keitany|Mary Keitany]] won the race with a time equal to Mikitenko's best.<ref>{{cite news|last=Brown|first=Matthew|date=17 April 2011|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=6 May 2016|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/mutai-and-keitany-dominate-and-dazzle-in-lon|title=Mutai and Keitany dominate and dazzle in London}}</ref> Her season went well from there on, however: she won the Avon Frauenlauf and Berlin 10K races and was runner-up to [[Florence Kiplagat]] at the [[2011 Berlin Marathon]] in a time of 2:22:18 hours.<ref>{{cite news|last=Butcher|first=Pat|date=25 September 2011|accessdate=6 May 2016|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/news/makau-stuns-with-20338-marathon-world-record|title=Makau stuns with 2:03:38 Marathon World record in Berlin! - UPDATED|publisher=IAAF}}</ref> She had two marathon outings in 2012. Her fastest was a run of 2:24:53 for seventh at the [[2012 London Marathon]], making her the fastest European in the race.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.european-athletics.org/news/latest-news/496-general/10972-germany-s-mikitenko-the-top-european-in-the-london-marathon.html |title=Germany's Mikitenko the top European in the London Marathon |publisher=European Athletics |date=22 April 2012 |accessdate=9 March 2013 |archivedate=28 June 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120628033634/http://www.european-athletics.org/news/latest-news/496-general/10972-germany-s-mikitenko-the-top-european-in-the-london-marathon.html |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref> She returned to the city later that August to compete in the [[Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's marathon|2012 Olympic marathon]], where she placed 14th overall.<ref>[http://www.london2012.com/athletics/event/women-marathon/phase=atw099100/index.html Women's Marathon]. London2012. Retrieved 9 March 2013.</ref> Mikitenko turned forty later that month, marking her transition into the [[masters athletics|veteran]]s age category.

In spite of her age she remained one of the best international runners and took third place at the [[2013 Tokyo Marathon]] (a new addition to the World Marathon Majors circuit).<ref>{{cite news|last=Nakamura|first= Ken|date=24 February 2013|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/kimetto-clocks-course-record-20650-at-tokyo-m|title=Kimetto clocks course record 2:06:50 at Tokyo Marathon|publisher=IAAF|accessdate=9 March 2013}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Her father-in-law Leonid Mikitenko participated in the [[1968 Summer Olympics]] in [[Mexico City]], with a personal-best time of 13:36 minutes over [[5000 metres]].

Irina Mikitenko is 1.58 metres tall, weighs 49 kg, and is married to her trainer Alexander Mikitenko, with whom she has had two children. In 1999, she switched from ''TV Gelnhausen'' to [[LG Eintracht Frankfurt]]. Since 1 January 2006, she has competed for TV Wattenscheid 01.

==Major honors==
[[World Marathon Majors]] title: 2007-08, 2009-09, 2009-10 seasons.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/sport/feedarticle/7976842 {{Dead link|date=May 2016}}</ref>

==Personal bests==
*[[800 metres]] – 2:09.97 min (1998)
*[[1500 metres]] – 4:06.08 min (2001)
*[[3000 metres]] – 8:30.39 min (2000)
*[[5000 metres]] – 14:42.03 min (1999)
*[[10,000 metres]] – 31:29.55 min (2001)
*[[10K run]] (road) – 30:57 min (2008)
*[[Half marathon]] – 68:51 min (2008)
*[[Marathon]] – 2:19:19 hrs (2008)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IAAF name|115374}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070714132040/http://www.leichtathletik.de/dokumente/athleten_portrait.asp?ID=705 Profile at leichtathletik.de]{{de icon}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110725224713/http://www.tv-wattenscheid-01.de/index.php?menuid=15&reporeid=454 Profile at TV Wattenscheid 01] {{de icon}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080429045936/http://www.ndr.de/paris2003/sportler/portrait.phtml?id=4397 Profile at] the [[Norddeutscher Rundfunk|NDR]] {{de icon}}

{{Footer WBYP Marathon Women}}
{{Footer Berlin Marathon Champions Women}}
{{Footer Chicago Marathon Champions Women}}
{{Footer London Marathon Champions Women}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mikitenko, Irina}}
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Almaty Region]]
[[Category:German female long-distance runners]]
[[Category:German female marathon runners]]
[[Category:Kazakhstani female marathon runners]]
[[Category:Kazakhstani female long-distance runners]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes of Germany]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:World Championships in Athletics athletes for Germany]]
[[Category:London Marathon female winners]]
[[Category:Kazakhstani emigrants to Germany]]
[[Category:Berlin Marathon female winners]]
[[Category:Chicago Marathon female winners]]

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