Kipchoge Keino

Summary

Kipchoge Hezekiah Keino (born 17 January 1940) is a retired Kenyan track and field athlete. He was the chairman of the Kenyan Olympic Committee (KOC) until 29 September 2017. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Keino was among the first in a long line of successful middle and long distance runners to come from the country and has helped and inspired many of his fellow countrymen and women to become the athletics force that they are today. In 2000, he became an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).[3] In 2012, he was one of 24 athletes inducted as inaugural members of the IAAF Hall of Fame.[4]

Kip Keino
Kipchoge Keino in January 2014
Personal information
Full nameKipchoge Hezekieh Keino[1]
Born (1940-01-17) 17 January 1940 (age 84)[2]
Kipsamo, Nandi, Rift Valley, Kenya[1]
Height173 cm (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Weight66 kg (146 lb)[1]
SpousePhyllis Keino
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals1964 Tokyo
5000 m, 5th
1500 m, 10th
1968 Mexico City
10,000 m, DNF
5000 m,  Silver
1500 m,  Gold
1972 Munich
3000 m steeple,  Gold
1500 m,  Silver
Personal bests
Medal record
Updated on 10 June 2015.

Early life edit

Keino was born in Kipsamo, Nandi District, Kenya. His name, Kipchoge, is a Nandi language expression for "born near the grain storage shed".[5] His parents died when he was a youngster and he was raised by an aunt. After finishing school, he joined the Kenya Police.[6] Before taking up athletics, he played rugby.[7]

 
Kipchoge Keino (1972)

Athletic career edit

He began his international career at the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia where he came eleventh in the three miles. At the 1964 Summer Olympics he finished fifth in 5000 m and just missed qualification for the 1500 m final.

On 27 August 1965, Keino lowered the 3000 m world record by over 6 seconds to 7:39.6 in his first attempt at the distance. He won two gold medals (1500 and 5000 metres) at the inaugural All-Africa Games. Later in that year, he broke the 5000 m world record held by Ron Clarke, clocking 13:24.2. At the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica, he won both the mile run and three-mile run. In the next Commonwealth Games, Keino won the 1500 metres and was third in the 5000 metres.

At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, he won the 1500 metres gold medal (defeating American favourite and world record holder Jim Ryun by 20 metres, the largest winning margin in the history of the event)[8] and 5000 m silver medal. Four years later, he won the 3000 metres steeplechase gold and 1500 metres silver at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. Keino was the flag bearer for Kenya in the 1964 Summer Olympics and the 1972 Summer Olympics opening ceremonies.[9] Keino retired in 1973.[6] He is on the cover of the October 1968 issue of Track and Field News, the first issue following the Olympics.[10] He shared the cover of the September 1969 issue with Naftali Bon.[11]

After athletics edit

Personal life edit

Keino resides on a farm in Eldoret, Kenya where he controls and runs a charitable organization for orphans. He is married to Phyllis Keino.

See also edit

  •   Sport of athletics portal

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Kip Keino". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 20 January 2009. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  2. ^ "Kipchoge Keino". iaaf.org. International Association of Athletics Federations. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Mr Kipchoge Keino". The International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  4. ^ "IAAF Hall of Fame". International Association of Athletics Federations. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  5. ^ "Focus on Africa : Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)". iaaf.org. International Association of Athletics Federations. 9 March 2006. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
  6. ^ a b c d Legendary runner with a heart of gold[permanent dead link], Daily Nation, 27 August 2007.
  7. ^ "Kip roots for 'Olympic Sevens'", Daily Nation, 23 April 2009.
  8. ^ Kipchoge Keino, CNN.com, 23 June 2004.
  9. ^ "Flagbearers for Kenya". www.olympedia.org. OlyMADMen. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  10. ^ "1969 Covers (18-issue year)". TrackandFieldNews.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  11. ^ "1968 Covers (17-issue year)". TrackandFieldNews.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  12. ^ "Keino's remarkable legacy runs deep in the Rift Valley". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  13. ^ "Honorary degrees awarded today". University of Bristol. 17 July 2007.
  14. ^ "International Association of Athletics Federations | international sports organization". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  15. ^ "Kip Keino | Kenyan athlete". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  16. ^ "The Latest: Keino gives heartfelt speech after Olympic award". Lincoln Journal Star. Associated Press. 5 August 2016. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  17. ^ "WGSBN Bulletin Archive". Working Group Small Body Nomenclature. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021. (Bulletin #1)

External links edit

Records
Preceded by Men's 3000 m World Record Holder
27 August 1965 – 14 September 1972
Succeeded by
Sporting positions
Preceded by Men's 5000 m Best Year Performance
1965
Succeeded by