Yasemin Can

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

Can (right) at the 2022 European Athletics Championships
Personal information
Nationality	Kenyan Turkish
Born	Vivian Jemutai (1996-12-11) 11 December 1996 (age 29) Nairobi, Kenya
Height	1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight	49 kg (108 lb)[1]
Sport
Country	Turkey
Sport	Long-distance running
Club	Enkaspor (Istanbul)[2]
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	5000 m: 14:36.82 (2017) 10,000 m: 30:26.41 (2016)
Medal record Women's athletics Representing  Turkey European Championships 2016 Amsterdam 5000 m 2016 Amsterdam 10,000 m 2022 Munich 10,000 m 2022 Munich 5000 m 2018 Berlin 5000 m European Indoor Championships 2017 Belgrade 3000 m Mediterranean Games 2022 Oran 5000 m Islamic Solidarity Games 2017 Baku 10,000 m 2021 Konya 5000 m 2021 Konya 10,000 m 2017 Baku 5000 m European U23 Championships 2017 Bydgoszcz 5000 m 2017 Bydgoszcz 10,000 m European Cross Country Championships 2016 Chia Senior race 2017 Šamorín Senior race 2018 Tilburg Senior race 2019 Lisbon Senior race 2016 Chia Senior team 2017 Šamorín Senior team 2024 Antalya Senior Women 2025 Lagoa Senior race

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

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

International competitions

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

• 3000 metres indoor – 8:43.46 (Belgrade 2017) NR

• 5000 metres – 14:36.82 (Rome 2017)
  • 5000 metres indoor – 15:08.46 (Istanbul 2016) NR
• 10,000 metres – 30:26.41 (Rio de Janeiro 2016)

Road

• 5 km – 15:23 (Herzogenaurach 2021) NB
• 10 km – 32:01 (Chon Buri 2020)
• Half marathon – 1:06:20 (Gdynia 2020) NR

National titles

• Turkish Athletics Championships
  • 10,000 metres: 2016
• Turkish Indoor Athletics Championships
  • 5000 metres: 2016