Billy Konchellah
Encyclopedia
Billy Komintai Konchellah (born 20 October 1961 in Kilgoris
, Kenya
) is a former 800 m
runner who won two World Championship
gold medals in Rome
1987 and Tokyo
1991.
and Jose Luiz Barbosa
on the final straight. In 1993 Konchellah made an unexpected comeback when he won the B-race at the meeting in Zurich. He travelled to the World Championships in Stuttgart and looked strong in the heats and semi-finals. However, in the final he lacked the finishing kick that had earned him the gold medal in Tokyo two years before. The race was won by Paul Ruto
and Konchellah finished third. Konchellah never won an Olympic
medal as he suffered from asthma for long periods of his career which prevented him from entering the 1988
and 1992
Olympic Games. In the 800 m final at the 1984 Summer Olympics
he had finished fourth. Konchellah's World Championships record of 1:43.06 min (1987) is still unbroken. He also won 800 metres race in the 1987 All-Africa Games
held in Kenya.
In Sebastian Coe's world record of 1:41:73 in Florence, 1981, Konchellah set the early pace.
Konchellah continued his career until the late 90s.
His son Gregory Konchellah, who has changed his name to Yusuf Saad Kamel and is representing Bahrain
since 2003, is also a prominent athlete. Billy's younger brother Patrick Konchellah
is also a former successful 800 metres runner.
His father John Konchellah and uncle Gideon Konchellah were politicians. His brother John Konchellah has been involved with organising running competitions.
Billy Konchellah went to Jamhuri Primary and Upper Hill Secondary schools, both located in Nairobi
. Later, he got an athletics scholarship in the United States and left there at age nineteen. He graduated with a degree in business administration from the University of New Mexico
, Albuquerque.
After his running career Konchellah moved to Oulu
, Finland
. He married a Finnish woman and had a child.
charges in the UK. He was deported
from the UK and extradited
to Finland
to face charges that he drugged and raped two Finnish girls in 2002. One of the girls had been under 16, which is the age of consent
in Finland. In 2005 he was convicted of two rapes, sexual exploitation of a child, and a drug crime and was sentenced to two and a half years in prison.
He was released from prison in 2006. Konchellah could face additional rape charges in Scotland
, where two women have alleged that he raped them in 2003.
Kilgoris
Kilgoris is a town in the Rift Valley Province, Kenya. It is the capital of the Trans Mara District. The town has a population of 4500 ....
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
) is a former 800 m
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
runner who won two World Championship
IAAF World Championships in Athletics
The World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations . Originally, it was organised every four years, but this changed in 1991, and it has since been organised biennially.-History:...
gold medals in Rome
1987 World Championships in Athletics
The 2nd World Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy between August 28 and September 6, 1987.-Track:1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995...
1987 and Tokyo
1991 World Championships in Athletics
The 3rd World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan between August 23 and September 1 and athletes from 167 countries participated in the event.The event is best-remembered for the...
1991.
Career
His victory in the 1991 final was unexpected. He sprinted past Paul ErengPaul Ereng
Paul Ereng is a former Kenyan athlete, and the surprise winner of the 800 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics.Born in Kitale, Trans-Nzoia, Kenya, Paul Ereng attended Starehe Boys Centre and School in Nairobi, Kenya. He was a promising 400 m runner until the end of 1987...
and Jose Luiz Barbosa
José Luiz Barbosa
José Luíz Barbosa is a former Brazilian 800m runner, who won the silver medal at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo. A few weeks before, Barbosa had won the 800m race at the prestigious Letzigrund meeting in Zurich...
on the final straight. In 1993 Konchellah made an unexpected comeback when he won the B-race at the meeting in Zurich. He travelled to the World Championships in Stuttgart and looked strong in the heats and semi-finals. However, in the final he lacked the finishing kick that had earned him the gold medal in Tokyo two years before. The race was won by Paul Ruto
Paul Ruto
Paul Ruto is a former Kenyan 800 metres runner who won a gold medal at the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart. Ruto took the lead in the first lap and kept it until the end. He was used to front-running, as earlier in his career, he had been employed as a pacemaker at international meetings.-...
and Konchellah finished third. Konchellah never won an Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
medal as he suffered from asthma for long periods of his career which prevented him from entering the 1988
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
and 1992
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
Olympic Games. In the 800 m final at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
he had finished fourth. Konchellah's World Championships record of 1:43.06 min (1987) is still unbroken. He also won 800 metres race in the 1987 All-Africa Games
Athletics at the 1987 All-Africa Games
The fourth All-Africa Games were held in August 1987 in Nairobi, Kenya.Four new events were added to the games these were the women's 3000 metres, 10000 metres, 400 metres hurdles and 5000 metres track walk. Additionally the pentathlon for women was replaced with the heptathlon. Also four nations...
held in Kenya.
In Sebastian Coe's world record of 1:41:73 in Florence, 1981, Konchellah set the early pace.
Konchellah continued his career until the late 90s.
His son Gregory Konchellah, who has changed his name to Yusuf Saad Kamel and is representing Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
since 2003, is also a prominent athlete. Billy's younger brother Patrick Konchellah
Patrick Konchellah
Patrick Konchellah was a former Kenyan middle distance runner.He finished fourth in the 800 metres final at the 1997 World Championships in Athletics in Athens, a race won by Wilson Kipketer...
is also a former successful 800 metres runner.
His father John Konchellah and uncle Gideon Konchellah were politicians. His brother John Konchellah has been involved with organising running competitions.
Billy Konchellah went to Jamhuri Primary and Upper Hill Secondary schools, both located in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
. Later, he got an athletics scholarship in the United States and left there at age nineteen. He graduated with a degree in business administration from the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
, Albuquerque.
After his running career Konchellah moved to Oulu
Oulu
Oulu is a city and municipality of inhabitants in the region of Northern Ostrobothnia, in Finland. It is the most populous city in Northern Finland and the sixth most populous city in the country. It is one of the northernmost larger cities in the world....
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. He married a Finnish woman and had a child.
Criminal charges and imprisonment
In 2004 he was acquitted of rapeRape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
charges in the UK. He was deported
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
from the UK and extradited
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
to Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
to face charges that he drugged and raped two Finnish girls in 2002. One of the girls had been under 16, which is the age of consent
Age of consent
While the phrase age of consent typically does not appear in legal statutes, when used in relation to sexual activity, the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. The European Union calls it the legal age for sexual...
in Finland. In 2005 he was convicted of two rapes, sexual exploitation of a child, and a drug crime and was sentenced to two and a half years in prison.
He was released from prison in 2006. Konchellah could face additional rape charges in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, where two women have alleged that he raped them in 2003.