Matthew Birir

Medal record
Men’s Athletics
Competitor for  Kenya
Olympic Games
Gold	1992 Barcelona	3000 m steeplechase
World Junior Championships
Gold	1990 Plovdiv	3000 m steeplechase

Matthew Kiprotich Birir (born 2 July 1972) is a former athlete from Kenya, winner of 3000 m steeplechase at the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Born in Eldama Ravine, Matthew Birir started running, when he attended at the famous St. Patrick's High School in Iten, where many great Kenyan runners are rosen.

At the Barcelona Olympics, the main favourite was Patrick Sang. At the Olympic final, it was soon clear, that all the medals are going to Kenya. At the last lap, the 20-year-old Birir outsprinted his older countryman Sang to win a gold 0.69 seconds ahead of latter.

At the 1993 World Championships Birir was beaten to fourth by Italian Alessandro Lambruschini, who repeated this feat three years later at the 1996 Summer Olympics, so Birir had to settle again with fourth place.

External links

• IAAF profile for Matthew Birir

Persondata
Name	Birir, Matthew
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	2 July 1972
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death