Kipchoge Keino
Kipchoge Hezekiah Keino 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 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).[1] In 2012, he was one of 24 athletes inducted as inaugural members of the IAAF Hall of Fame.[2]
Early life
[edit | edit source]Keino was born on 17 January 1940 in Kipsamo, Nandi District, Kenya. His name, Kipchoge, is a Nandi language expression for "born near the grain storage shed."[3] His parents died when he was a youngster and he was raised by an aunt. After finishing school, he joined the Kenya Police.[4] Before taking up athletics, he played rugby.[5]
Athletic career
[edit | edit source]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)[6] 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.[7] Keino retired in 1973.[4] He is on the cover of the October 1968 issue of Track and Field News, the first issue following the Olympics.[8] He shared the cover of the September 1969 issue with Naftali Bon.[9]
After athletics
[edit | edit source]- With his wife, Phyllis Keino, he has dedicated significant efforts to humanitarian work in Eldoret, Kenya. They have established the Lewa Children's Home for orphans, the KipKeino Primary School in 1999, and the Kip Keino Secondary School in 2009.[10]
- For his work with orphans, he shared Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsmen and Sportswomen of the Year" award in 1987 with seven others, characterized as "Athletes Who Care". In 1996, Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret was named after him.[4]
- In 2007, he was made an honorary Doctor of Law by the University of Bristol.[11] Earlier, Egerton University in Nakuru had awarded him an honorary degree. In July 2012, he received further recognition from the City of Bristol after the Kenyan Olympic Committee, under his presidency, made Bristol the training base for its athletes in preparation for the London 2012 Olympics. In 2012, Kipchoge Keino was among the inductees in the IAAF[12] Hall of Fame.[13] The Bristol City Council awarded him freedom of the city, making him the first to receive this honour from Bristol since Sir Winston Churchill.[4]
- On 5 August 2016, at the Olympic opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Keino was awarded the first Olympic Laurel, for outstanding service to the Olympic movement.[14]
- On 14 May 2021, Jovian asteroid 39285 Kipkeino, discovered by astronomers at Spacewatch in 1997, was Template:MoMP.[15]
Personal life
[edit | edit source]Keino resides on a farm in Eldoret, Kenya where he runs a charitable organization for orphans. He is married to Phyllis Keino.
See also
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References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ "Mr Kipchoge Keino". The International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
- ↑ "IAAF Hall of Fame". International Association of Athletics Federations. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Legendary runner with a heart of gold Archived 19 March 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Daily Nation, 27 August 2007.
- ↑ "Kip roots for 'Olympic Sevens'" Archived 9 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Daily Nation, 23 April 2009.
- ↑ Kipchoge Keino Archived 17 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine, CNN.com, 23 June 2004.
- ↑ "Flagbearers for Kenya". www.olympedia.org. OlyMADMen. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
- ↑ "1969 Covers (18-issue year)". TrackandFieldNews.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
- ↑ "1968 Covers (17-issue year)". TrackandFieldNews.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
- ↑ "Keino's remarkable legacy runs deep in the Rift Valley". HeraldScotland. 5 April 2014. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
- ↑ "Honorary degrees awarded today". University of Bristol. 17 July 2007. Archived from the original on 25 October 2007. Retrieved 27 August 2007.
- ↑ "International Association of Athletics Federations | international sports organization". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
- ↑ "Kip Keino | Kenyan athlete". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 17 July 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "WGSBN Bulletin Archive". Working Group Small Body Nomenclature. 14 May 2021. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021. (Bulletin #1 Archived 25 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine)
External links
[edit | edit source]- https://kipkeinofoundation.org/ Archived 31 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine
- Beijing 2008 dazzles, as we 'flashback' to the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and a triumphant Kipchoge Keino Archived 11 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Posted On: 2008-08-08.
- Video of 1968 Olympic 1500 final on YouTube
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