- Micah Kogo
-
Micah Kogo Personal information Nationality Kenyan Born 3 June 1986
Burnt Forest, Uasin Gishu District, KenyaSport Sport Running Event(s) 5000 metres
10,000 metres
10 km road raceMedal recordCompetitor for 
KenyaMen’s Athletics Olympic Games Bronze 2008 Beijing 10000 m Micah Kemboi Kogo (born 3 June 1986 in Burnt Forest, Uasin Gishu District) is a Kenyan long-distance runner, who specializes in the 10,000 metres. He is the former world record holder in the 10 kilometres road race event with a time of 27:01, which he lost to countryman Leonard Komon on September 27, 2010. He made his first Olympic appearance in 2008, taking the 10,000 m bronze medal in Beijing.
Contents
Early life
Born into a family of subsistence farmers, Kogo first began running when he was a young child as this was the only way he could attend primary school. He began competing at district level in Kewet, running in the 5000 and 10,000 metres events. When he began high school, he continued to race at these distances, reaching both finals at the national secondary school championships. At this point, coach Sammy Rono noticed Kogo's athletic ability and offered to train him. Kogo accepted and, following his graduation from high school, he competed in the Discovery meet in Eldoret, Kenya. They spent the majority of 2004 in training, preparing Kogo for forthcoming athletics seasons.[1]
International career
Beginnings in Europe
He made his first impression on the international circuit in 2005 competing at a number of road races: he won the L'Escalade 8 km run, the Corrida de Houilles 10 km run and the Auckland Castle 10 km event. He also took second place at La Provence 10 km and at a meeting in Dunkirk. On top of this he was successful in the national competitions, winning the Chepkoilel cross country events.[1]
He remained in winning form in the 2006 season, defending his title at the L'Escalade and Dunkirk cross country running events.[1] On 25 August 2006 at the Memorial Van Damme meeting he ran a personal best of 26:35.63 minutes, reaching the top ten fastest times in the event.[2] The next month he finished sixth in the 5000 metres race at the 2006 IAAF World Athletics Final. On 19 November 2006 he won the Zevenheuvelenloop in and around Nijmegen. Kogo finished in a time of 42:42 beating Abebe Dinkesa by a second, while Bernard Kipyego and Zersenay Tadese both finished two seconds behind Kogo.[3]
On 1 April 2007 he won the 10 km road race at the Parelloop in Brunssum (Netherlands) in 27:07. It was the third fastest time over 10 km ever.[4] On 20 May 2007 he won the BUPA Great Manchester Run in a time of 27:21.[5]
Olympic medal and world record
On 4 May 2008, he won the annual Lilac Bloomsday Run in Spokane, Washington, a 12 kilometres race, with a time of 33:51— a new course record. Greater success laid on the track: he was selected to represent Kenya internationally for the first time and ran in the 10,000 m at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Kogo was their best performer in the event, pipping Moses Masai to the Olympic bronze medal and winning his first major medal. He won another medal on the track at the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final the following month, taking the 5000 m bronze.[6]
On 29 March 2009, Kogo broke Haile Gebrselassie's world record at 10 km by clocking 27:01 at the Parelloop race in the Netherlands. He was quoted as saying, "After running 27:07 in 2007 I always had it in my mind to come back and try for the world record on this course." [7] He followed this up with a win at the Great Edinburgh Run, running a close race with defending champion Bernard Kipyego before taking the gold medal in 28:13.[8] He competed at the 2009 World Championships, finishing 7th in the 10,000 metres race. He closed his track season with a 5000 m silver medal behind Imane Merga at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final.
At the start of 2010 he won the Laredo 10 km race, but was second at the Paralloop, losing his title to Martin Mathathi. He competed at the London 10,000 in May but again took the runner-up position, this time to British runner Mo Farah.[9] Kogo's 10K world record was beaten by Leonard Komon in September 2010 and the Grand 10 Berlin race two weeks later presented Kogo with an opportunity to go head-to-head with him. The victory went to Komon and Kogo had to content himself with fourth place in 28:24 (over a minute behind his rival).[10]
Kogo took a third career victory at the Parelloop in April 2011.[11] Central Park's UAE Healthy Kidney 10K saw another match against Komon, but Kogo was second place behind him in the race.[12] He topped the podium at the Beacon to Beach 10K in August, although he missed the course record after making a fast start.[13]
Kogo is based at the PACE Sports Management training camp in Kaptagat.
Achievements
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes Representing Kenya2006 World Athletics Final Stuttgart, Germany 3rd 5000 m 2007 World Athletics Final Stuttgart, Germany 2nd 5000 m 2008 Olympic Games Beijing, China 3rd 10000 m World Athletics Final Stuttgart, Germany 3rd 5000 m 2009 World Championships Berlin, Germany 7th 10000 m World Athletics Final Thessaloniki, Greece 2nd 5000 m Personal bests
Event Time Date Location 3000 metres 7:38.67 7 August 2007 Stockholm, Sweden Two miles 8:20.88 23 August 2005 Linz, Austria 5000 metres 13:00.77 25 July 2006 Stockholm, Sweden 10000 metres 26:35.63 25 August 2006 Brussels, Belgium 10 kilometres 27:01 
29 March 2009 Brunssum, Netherlands 15 kilometres 42:42 19 November 2006 Nijmegen, Netherlands - All information taken from IAAF profile.[14]
References
- ^ a b c James Wokabi and Mutwiri Mutuota (2008-08-12). Focus on Athletes - Micah Kogo. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-05-04.
- ^ "10,000 Metres". Statistics - Top Lists. IAAF. 1996-2006. http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/toplists/inout=o/age=n/season=0/sex=M/all=y/legal=A/disc=10K/detail.html. Retrieved 2006-08-26.
- ^ 2006 Zevenheuvelenloop results. Nijmegen.internl.net. Retrieved on 2009-05-04.
- ^ Kogo just five seconds short of Gebrselassie’s 10 km World record. IAAF (2007-04-01). Retrieved on 2009-05-04.
- ^ Quick Results. GreatRun (2007-05-20). Retrieved on 2009-05-04.
- ^ Kogo Micah. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
- ^ Ramsak, Bob (2009-03-29). Kogo breaks World 10 km record in Brunssum. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-05-04.
- ^ Kogo surges to Edinburgh victory. BBC Sport (2009-05-03). Retrieved on 2009-05-04.
- ^ Mo Farah sets new British 10,000m road record. BBC Sport (2010-05-31). Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
- ^ Komon on fire – 27:12 in Berlin. IAAF (2010-10-10). Retrieved on 2010-10-10.
- ^ van Hemert, Wim (2011-04-03). Kogo runs 27:15 on the roads in Brunssum. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-04-09.
- ^ Komon smashes Central Park 10Km record. IAAF/NYRR (2011-05-14). Retrieved on 2011-05-14.
- ^ Kogo and Kiros cruise to 10Km wins in Cape Elizabeth. IAAF (2011-08-07). Retrieved on 2011-08-10.
- ^ Kogo Micah biography. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-05-04.
External links
- IAAF profile for Micah Kogo
- Focus on Athletes article from IAAF
Records Preceded by
Haile GebrselassieMen's 10 kilometres world record holder
March 29, 2009 – September 26, 2010Succeeded by
Leonard KomonCategories:- 1986 births
- Living people
- People from Uasin Gishu District
- Kenyan long-distance runners
- Olympic athletes of Kenya
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Olympic bronze medalists for Kenya
- Olympic medalists in athletics (track and field)
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