Kenya’s Henry Rono who set four records in 81 days dies at 72

Just days after learning of the untimely demise of world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum, Kenya was once again hit with the sad news of the passing on of distance running great Henry Rono, who set four world records in 81 days back in 1978.

According to official communication, Rono died on Thursday (15) at the age of 72.

“Athletics Kenya is saddened to announce and notify the public of the demise of former athlete Mr Henry Rono. He had been hospitalized at the Nairobi South Hospital for the oast 10 days.

On behalf of Athletics Kenya Executive Committee and the athletics fraternity, we wish to convey our sincere heartfelt condolence to his family, friends and the entire athletics fraternity during this trying moment,” a communique from Athletics Kenya read.

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As part of his world record spree, the Kenyan athlete made history in the 3000m, 3000m steeplechase, 5000m and 10,000m with his records in the 3000m and 3000m steeplechase standing for more than a decade.

Born on 12 February 1952, Rono hailed from Kiptaragon in Kenya’s Rift Valley. A bicycle accident left him unable to walk until he was six, and it was two-time Olympic champion Kip Keino who inspired Rono to take up running.

Rono joined the Kenyan Army in 1973 and he continued to progress in athletics. He was selected for the 1976 Olympic Games in the 3000m steeplechase and 5000m but did not make it to Montreal because of the Kenyan boycott.

Based in the USA and studying at Washington State University, Rono won the first of three NCAA cross-country titles that year – retaining the crown in 1977 and completing his hat-trick in 1979. He also became the NCAA indoor 3000m champion in 1977 and won NCAA 3000m steeplechase titles in 1978 and 1979.

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Rono achieved the first of his world records in Berkeley, California, on 8 April 1978. Racing on the Edwards Field track at the University of California, the 26-year-old physical education and psychology sophomore clocked 13:08.4 for 5000m, improving the record that had been set by Dick Quax the previous year by four-and-a-half seconds.

The 3000m steeplechase record was next. Racing in windy conditions in Seattle on 13 May, he crossed the finish line in 8:05.4 to take 2.6 seconds off the almost two-year-old record that had been set by Anders Garderud.

On 11 June, Rono improved the world 10,000m record by a remarkable eight seconds, running 27:22.47 at Cricketer Place in Vienna to smash the previous record of 27:30.47 set by Samson Kimobwa a year earlier.

Then, at the Bislett Games in Oslo on 27 June, he ran 7:32.1 to shave more than three seconds from Brendan Foster’s almost four-year-old record.

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Rono racked up a win streak of 31 outdoor races in 1978, including at the All-Africa Games in Algiers, where he claimed a 3000m steeplechase and 10,000m double, and at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, where he won the 3000m steeplechase and the 5000m.

Rono graduated from Washington State University with a degree in general studies in 1981 – the year he set the fifth world record of his career, improving his own 5000m mark to 13:06.20 in Knarvik in Norway.

Following his retirement from competitive athletics, Rono qualified as a teacher and became a coach.

“My two dreams were created in the 1960s. I became a professional teacher and a track champion,” Rono said in a 2003 interview with World Athletics. “The running profession came first in the early 1970s and ended 25 years later. The teaching profession began in the 1990s, and today, I enjoy it much better than the achievement of athletic celebrity.”

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Additional reporting by World Athletics