Micah Kogo
Encyclopedia
Micah Kemboi Kogo is a Kenya
n 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
.
, 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.
: 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.
He remained in winning form in the 2006 season, defending his title at the L'Escalade and Dunkirk cross country running
events. 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. 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.
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. On 20 May 2007 he won the BUPA Great Manchester Run
in a time of 27:21.
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.
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." 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. 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. 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).
Kogo took a third career victory at the Parelloop in April 2011. Central Park
's UAE Healthy Kidney 10K saw another match against Komon, but Kogo was second place behind him in the race. He topped the podium at the Beacon to Beach 10K in August, although he missed the course record after making a fast start.
Kogo is based at the PACE Sports Management training camp in Kaptagat
.
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...
n long-distance
Long-distance track event
Long-distance track event races require runners to balance their energy. These types of races are predominantly aerobic in nature and at the highest level, exceptional levels of aerobic endurance is required more than anything else...
runner
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
, who specializes in the 10,000 metres. He is the former world record holder in the 10 kilometres road race
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
event with a time of 27:01, which he lost to countryman Leonard Komon
Leonard Komon
Leonard Patrick Komon is a Kenyan long-distance runner and the current world record holder in the 10 kilometres and 15 km road races....
on September 27, 2010. He made his first Olympic
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
appearance in 2008, taking the 10,000 m bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
in Beijing
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
.
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 KewetKewet (woreda)
Kewet is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Semien Shewa Zone, Kewet is bordered on the southwest by Termaber, on the northwest by Mam Midrina Lalo Midir, on the north by Efratana Gidim, and on the east and south by Afar Region...
, running in the 5000
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
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
Eldoret
Eldoret is a town in western Kenya and the administrative centre of Uasin Gishu District of Rift Valley Province. Lying south of the Cherangani Hills, the local elevation varies from about 2100 metres above sea level at the airport to more than 2700 metres in nearby areas...
, Kenya. They spent the majority of 2004 in training, preparing Kogo for forthcoming athletics seasons.
Beginnings in Europe
He made his first impression on the international circuit in 2005 competing at a number of road racesRoad running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
: he won the L'Escalade 8 km run, the Corrida de Houilles 10 km run and the Auckland Castle
Auckland Castle
Auckland Castle is a castle in the town of Bishop Auckland in County Durham, England....
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.
He remained in winning form in the 2006 season, defending his title at the L'Escalade and Dunkirk cross country running
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
events. On 25 August 2006 at the Memorial Van Damme
Memorial Van Damme
Memorial van Damme is an annual athletics event at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium that takes place in late August or early September...
meeting he ran a personal best of 26:35.63 minutes, reaching the top ten fastest times in the event. The next month he finished sixth in the 5000 metres
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
race at the 2006 IAAF World Athletics Final
2006 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 4th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 9 and September 10, 2006.-Results:-External links:*...
. On 19 November 2006 he won the Zevenheuvelenloop
Zevenheuvelenloop
Zevenheuvelenloop is an annual 15 kilometres road running race held in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. It was first organised in 1984 and has grown to be one of the largest road races in the Netherlands; it attracted over 30,000 runners in 2008...
in and around Nijmegen. Kogo finished in a time of 42:42 beating Abebe Dinkesa by a second, while Bernard Kipyego
Bernard Kipyego
Bernard Kiprop Kipyego is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in the marathon.Kipyego's first international highlight came as a junior at the 2005 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where he took the silver medal in the junior race to form a Kenyan sweep of the medals, alongside...
and Zersenay Tadese both finished two seconds behind Kogo.
On 1 April 2007 he won the 10 km road race at the Parelloop
Parelloop
Parelloop is an annual 10 kilometres road running competition usually held in late March or early April in Brunssum, the Netherlands. The inaugural edition was held in 1989....
in Brunssum
Brunssum
Brunssum is a municipality and a town in the province of Limburg, the Netherlands. Brunssum was formerly a center of coal mining in the Netherlands and there are a few active mines remaining in the area...
(Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
) in 27:07. It was the third fastest time over 10 km ever. On 20 May 2007 he won the BUPA Great Manchester Run
Great Manchester Run
The Bupa Great Manchester Run is an annual 10 kilometre run through the streets in Manchester city centre, which was established in 2003. Usually held in mid-May, it is among the largest and most prestigious mass participation runs in the United Kingdom...
in a time of 27:21.
Olympic medal and world record
On 4 May 2008, he won the annual Lilac Bloomsday RunLilac Bloomsday Run
The Lilac Bloomsday Run, also known as Bloomsday, is an annual timed road race in Spokane, Washington, held on the first Sunday of every May since 1977. The course is 12 km long. The course starts in Downtown Spokane and heads northwest along the far west end of town, passes by Mukogowa Ft...
in Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, 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
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
and winning his first major medal. He won another medal on the track at the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 6th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart, Germany on September 13 and September 14, 2008.A number of road races also took place on the second day of competition. There were seven different starting points around the Stuttgart area and the distances varied...
the following month, taking the 5000 m bronze.
On 29 March 2009, Kogo broke Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie is an Ethiopian long-distance track and road running athlete. He won two Olympic gold medals over 10,000 metres and four World Championship titles in the event. He won the Berlin Marathon four times consecutively and also had three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon...
's world record
World records in athletics
World records in the sport of athletics are ratified by the International Association of Athletics Federations. Athletics records comprise the best performances in the sports of track and field, road running and racewalking....
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." He followed this up with a win at the Great Edinburgh Run
Great Edinburgh Run
The Great Edinburgh Run is an annual 10-kilometre road running event which takes place in early October in the city centre of Edinburgh in Scotland. Part of the Great Run series of competitions, it attracts top level runners and also features a 5K race for fun runners.The event was first held in...
, running a close race with defending champion Bernard Kipyego
Bernard Kipyego
Bernard Kiprop Kipyego is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in the marathon.Kipyego's first international highlight came as a junior at the 2005 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where he took the silver medal in the junior race to form a Kenyan sweep of the medals, alongside...
before taking the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in 28:13. He competed at the 2009 World Championships
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
, finishing 7th in the 10,000 metres race
2009 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 10,000 metres
The Men's 10,000 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on 17 August. A large field of 31 athletes from 15 countries was set to participate in the final, although Irishman Martin Fagan did not start the competition.Kenenisa Bekele was the favourite...
. He closed his track season with a 5000 m silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
behind Imane Merga
Imane Merga
Imane Merga Jida is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who specializes in the 5000 and 10,000 metres. He won his first world title at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships...
at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final
2009 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 7th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Kaftanzoglio Stadium in Thessaloniki, Greece on September 12 and September 13, 2009. The competition represented the culmination of the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Tour, a selection of athletics meetings which began on September 20, 2008 at the...
.
At the start of 2010 he won the Laredo 10 km race, but was second at the Paralloop, losing his title to Martin Mathathi
Martin Mathathi
Martin Irungu Mathathi is a Kenyan long-distance runner, who competes in track, cross country and road running events. Mathathi won the bronze medal in the 10,000 metres at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka. He represented his country in the same event at the 2008 Summer Olympics...
. He competed at the London 10,000
London 10,000
Established in 2008, the BUPA London 10,000 is a 10 km run through the roads of St. James's Park, London. The finish is on the mall by Buckingham Palace. It has become one of the most popular, mass participation 10k runs in the United Kingdom. In 2008, over 12,500 runners took part, with 8372...
in May but again took the runner-up position, this time to British runner Mo Farah. Kogo's 10K world record was beaten by Leonard Komon
Leonard Komon
Leonard Patrick Komon is a Kenyan long-distance runner and the current world record holder in the 10 kilometres and 15 km road races....
in September 2010 and the Grand 10 Berlin
Grand 10 Berlin
The Grand 10 Berlin is an annual road running event over ten kilometres which is held in October in Berlin, Germany. It is officially known as the ASICS Grand 10 Berlin due to its sponsorship by the sportswear manufacturer...
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).
Kogo took a third career victory at the Parelloop in April 2011. Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
's UAE Healthy Kidney 10K saw another match against Komon, but Kogo was second place behind him in the race. He topped the podium at the Beacon to Beach 10K in August, although he missed the course record after making a fast start.
Kogo is based at the PACE Sports Management training camp in Kaptagat
Kaptagat
Kaptagat is a village near 40 kilometres east of Eldoret along the B54 Road in the Rift Valley Province, Kenya. It is located near the edge of the Great Rift Valley just to the southeast of the village of Chepkorio.. Administratively, it is a location in Ainabkoi division of Uasin Gishu District....
.
Achievements
| Representing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | World Athletics Final 2006 IAAF World Athletics Final The 4th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 9 and September 10, 2006.-Results:-External links:*... |
Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
3rd | 5000 m | |
| 2007 | World Athletics Final 2007 IAAF World Athletics Final The 5th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 22 and September 23, 2007.-Men:- Women :-External links:*... |
Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
2nd | 5000 m | |
| 2008 | Olympic Games Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics were held during the last 10 days of the games, from August 15 to August 24, 2008, at the Beijing National Stadium. The Olympic sport of athletics is split into four distinct sets of events: track and field events, road running events, and racewalking... |
Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... |
3rd | 10000 m | |
| World Athletics Final 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final The 6th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart, Germany on September 13 and September 14, 2008.A number of road races also took place on the second day of competition. There were seven different starting points around the Stuttgart area and the distances varied... |
Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
3rd | 5000 m | ||
| 2009 | World Championships 2009 World Championships in Athletics The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate.... |
Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
7th | 10000 m | |
| World Athletics Final 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final The 7th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Kaftanzoglio Stadium in Thessaloniki, Greece on September 12 and September 13, 2009. The competition represented the culmination of the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Tour, a selection of athletics meetings which began on September 20, 2008 at the... |
Thessaloniki Thessaloniki Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace... , Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... |
2nd | 5000 m | ||
Personal bests
| Event | Time | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3000 metres 3000 metres The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and... |
7:38.67 | 7 August 2007 | Stockholm Stockholm Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area... , Sweden |
| Two miles Two miles The 2 mile is a historic running distance. Like the mile run, it is still contested at some invitational meets, perhaps because it provides an easier record to break for meet promoters , as well as its historical chronology. It is largely superseded by the 3000 m and 5000 m, and by the 3200m in... |
8:20.88 | 23 August 2005 | Linz Linz Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about... , Austria |
| 5000 metres 5000 metres The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event... |
13:00.77 | 25 July 2006 | Stockholm Stockholm Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area... , Sweden |
| 10000 metres 10000 metres The 10,000 metres or 10K is a common long distance running event. As "10,000 metres" it is a track event, and appears in athletics events such as the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics; as "10K" it is a roadrace or cross country running event... |
26:35.63 | 25 August 2006 | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium |
| 10 kilometres | 27:01  |
29 March 2009 | Brunssum Brunssum Brunssum is a municipality and a town in the province of Limburg, the Netherlands. Brunssum was formerly a center of coal mining in the Netherlands and there are a few active mines remaining in the area... , Netherlands |
| 15 kilometres | 42:42 | 19 November 2006 | Nijmegen, Netherlands |
- All information taken from IAAF profile.
External links
- Focus on Athletes article from IAAF