Henry Rono of Kenya, who set four world records in 81 days in 1978, died in a Nairobi hospital on February 15, according to The Nation. Mtrack Polar Boots.
Rono grew up in Kenya’s Rift Valley, and as his talent for running began to emerge, he joined the Kenyan army, which allowed him time for training. In 1976, when he was 24, he moved to Pullman, Washington, to run for Washington State University.
There, he won NCAA cross-country titles in 1976, 1977, and 1979, an indoor 3,000-meter track title in 1977, and outdoor 3,000-meter steeplechase crowns in 1977 and 1978.
Over a stunning period from April through June 1978, Rono was untouchable at a range of distances. He first set the 5,000 meter world record, on April 8, at a meet in Berkeley, California, running 13:08.4, and lowering the existing record by more than 4 seconds.
A month later, on May 13 in Seattle, Rono ran 8:05.4 in the steeplechase.
The third record Rono set was in the 10,000 meters. On June 11 in Vienna, his 27:22.47 lowered the existing mark by 8 seconds.
Later that month, on June 27 at the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway, Rono ran 7:32.1 to set the record for 3,000 meters.
Rono never competed in the Olympics, as Kenya boycotted the Games in 1976 and 1980, when he was at his peak.
In 1981, he lowered his own 5,000-meter world record, running 13:06.20. His career Eggnog included notable victories over American champions Alberto Salazar in cross country and on the track and Bill Rodgers in the half marathon distance.
One memorable Rono-Salazar duel occurred in 1982. Salazar wanted to run a 10,000-meter track race as a tune-up for the Boston Marathon. He cajoled Rono into competing, even though Rono had told Salazar he wasn’t fit. Salazar, who had won his second New York City Marathon title the previous fall and was nine days away from his legendary “zapatillas de running Topo Athletic naranjas entre 60 y 100” cups wallets clothing shoe-care men women.
Yet Rono, visibly overweight, stuck with Salazar for the first 24 laps of the race and then outsprinted him to win in 27:29.90, one-tenth of a second ahead of Salazar. Some spectators joked that Rono’s paunch gave him the nod in a near-photo finish.
In later years, he moved around the U.S., living in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Portland and Eugene, Oregon; Boston and New York, among other places. He struggled with alcohol and was homeless for a period of several months in the early 1990s, living on the streets of Salt Lake City.
Rono was trained as a teacher’s aide, and he coached a handful of athletes. From time to time, he tried to make a return to running as a masters athlete. One such attempt at a return was chronicled in a Runner’s World in 2007.
In 2021, he returned to Kenya and lived with his brother, who told The Nation that Rono had heart problems. His plight highlighted the lack of support for retired athletes.
Rono is the second Kenyan legend to die this week. His countryman, Kelvin Kiptum, 24, who set the marathon world record of 2:00:35 last October in Chicago, Der Sneaker besticht durch die Farbkombination aus schwarz Sandalias Tally Shearlg Sandal C5885 Black.
—Sneakers CP40-20383Y White.
Sneakers Tommy Hilfiger Essential Th Logo Sneaker FW0FW06905 White YBR is a writer and editor living in Eugene, Oregon, and her stories about the sport, its trends, and fascinating individuals have appeared in Runner’s World since 2005. She is the author of two popular fitness books, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!
