Renowned Former World Record Holder Henry Rono Passes Away

 

Henry Rono celebrates at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton/ Photo/ Courtesy/ World Athletics

In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…

• Former Kenyan athlete Henry Rono, aged 72, passed away after a brief illness.

• Rono, a legendary athlete, won gold medals at the 1978 Commonwealth Games and the All-Africa Games in the same year.

• He held world records in the 3000m, 3000m steeplechase, 5000m, and 10,000m events.

• Despite his achievements, he never competed in the Olympics due to Kenya's boycotts in 1976 and 1980.

• Rono spent 33 years in the United States before returning to Kenya in 2019.

• His death adds to the recent losses in the athletics community, including marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum and his coach Gervais Hakizimana, who died in a tragic road accident.

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Renowned World Record Holder Henry Rono Passes Away

Once again, the athletics community finds itself in a state of sorrow with the passing of former athlete Henry Rono at 72.

In a statement released to the media, Athletics Kenya revealed that the esteemed athlete lost his battle with a brief illness at a hospital in Nairobi on Thursday.

Rono proudly represented Kenya at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada, securing gold medals in the men’s 3000m steeplechase and 5000m events. 

Additionally, he achieved gold in the 3000m steeplechase and 10,000m at the All Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria, during the same year.

Renowned for his remarkable feats, Rono etched his name in history by shattering four world records across the 3000m, 3000m steeplechase, 5000m, and 10,000m distances.

Despite his exceptional talent, Rono missed the opportunity to compete at the Olympic 

Games due to Kenya's boycott of both the 1976 and 1980 editions held in Montreal, Canada, and Moscow, Russia, respectively.

Born in Kiptaragon Village in Nandi County, Rono later made his home in the United States in 1986, where he resided for 33 years before returning to Kenya in 2019.

His passing adds to the collective grief felt by the nation and the world following the tragic loss of marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum and his coach Gervais Hakizimana in a fatal road accident last Sunday.