Julien Wanders Bio: Age, Height, Partner, Net Worth, Parents, Career, Half Marathon Record

Julien Wanders is a Swiss long-distance runner who specialises in road racing and track events from 5,000 m to the half marathon.

Between 2019 and 2025 he held the European half-marathon record with 59:13, achieved at the 2019 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, and he also jointly held the European 10 km road record (27:13).

Known for his high-altitude training base in Kenya and aggressive front-running style, Wanders has won major city races and represented Switzerland at the Olympic Games and World Championships.

Profile

• Full Name: Julien Wanders
• Stage Name: Julien Wanders
• Born: March 18, 1996
• Age: 29 years old
• Birthplace: Geneva, Switzerland
• Nationality: Swiss
• Occupation: Long-Distance Runner
• Height: 1.66m
• Parents: André Wanders and Bénédicte Wanders
• Siblings: Cécile Wanders
• Spouse: None
• Partner: Kolly
• Children: None
• Relationship: Not Married
• Net Worth: $2 million

Early Life and Education

Julien Wanders was born on March 18, 1996, in Geneva, Switzerland, into a musical family. His father André is a professional cellist and his mother Bénédicte a violinist.

He grew up with an older sister, Cécile, who competes as an international show jumper. Wanders completed his Matura (Swiss high-school diploma) and briefly enrolled in economics at the University of Geneva before leaving to focus entirely on professional running.

At age 19 he moved permanently to Iten, Kenya, to train at altitude with some of the world’s best distance runners. He is of Swiss ethnicity, though his religion is unknown.

Career

Julien Wanders announced himself in 2015 by winning the European U20 cross-country title. He made rapid progress on the road circuit and in 2018 broke the long-standing Swiss 10 km record with 27:32 in Valencia, later improving to 27:13 in Houilles (European record jointly held until 2021).

His defining performance came in February 2019 at Ras Al Khaimah, where he ran 59:13 for the half marathon to smash the European record by 18 seconds, becoming the first European under one hour.

Wanders followed with victories at high-profile races including the Prague Half Marathon, New York’s United Airlines NYC Half, and multiple Swiss national titles on track and road. He represented Switzerland at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (13th in the 10,000 m) and several World Championships, consistently placing in the top 15 over 5,000 m and 10,000 m.

A series of injuries between 2022 and 2024 slowed his momentum, but he returned competitively in 2025 with strong road performances.

Julien Wanders continues to train and race from his Kenyan base in Iten, balancing European track seasons with global road events. His European records may have been surpassed, yet his sub-60-minute half marathon and pioneering move to full-time African training remain benchmarks for the current generation of Swiss and European distance runners.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @julien_wanders
• Facebook Handle: Julien Wanders
• Twitter Handle: Unknown

Personal Life

Julien Wanders has been in a long-term relationship with his partner Kolly, with whom he shares a home in Iten, Kenya. The couple leads a quiet, training-focused life at altitude.

Wanders rarely returns to Switzerland outside competition periods and has built strong ties with the Kenyan running community, training alongside athletes such as Geoffrey Kamworor and Abel Sicowo.

Net Worth

Julien Wanders has an estimated net worth of $2 million. He earns through Swiss Olympic contracts, World Athletics prize money, appearance fees at major road races, and sponsorships with On Running, Maurten, Coros, and other performance brands.