Noah Ngeny
Encyclopedia
Noah Kiprono Ngeny (born November 2, 1978) is a former Kenya
n athlete, Olympic gold medal
ist at 1500 m
at the 2000 Summer Olympics
, and world record holder in the 1000 m.
. Ngeny played volleyball
during his school years and did not start running until 1996.
Ngeny first came to international prominence by setting two World Junior records in 1997 - 3:32.91 for 1500 m in Monaco and 3:50.41 for the Mile in Nice, and under the guidance of renowned manager and coach, the late Kim McDonald, his progression continued in 1998, improving his 1500 m time to 3:30.34 in Monaco.
In 1999 July 7, in Roma, Ngeny was second to El Guerrouj when the latter set the world record (3:43.13) for the mile run. Ngeny stayed close to Hicham El Guerrouj
down the stretch to finish at 3:43.40, still the second fastest mile ever run, and almost a full second inside the old WR (3:44.39) of Noureddine Morceli
.
In 1999 August 24, Ngeny took the 1500 m silver medal
(3:28.73) in the IAAF 1999 World Championships in Athletics
in Seville, Spain, behind the reigning world champion El Guerrouj (3:27.65).
In 1999 September 5, Ngeny set the current world record 2:11.96 over 1000 m in Rieti
, Italy
, breaking the 18 years-standing record 2:12.18 held by Sebastian Coe (Coe's record was achieved in 1981). Ngeny's time of 2:11.96 still stands as the World record with no other runner coming within 2 seconds of the time since. The previous record had been the oldest standing record at the time. It was also the last world record of any running distance that had not been previously held by an athlete of African descent.
In 1999 Ngeny recorded six sub 3:30 clockings for 1500 m and established himself as the closest rival to World champion and World record holder Hicham El Guerrouj.
In 2000 August 11, Ngeny finished second to El Guerrouj (3:27.21) in the 1500 m at the Weltklasse Zürich
meet in a time of 3:28.12, making him the Kenyan record
holder and third fastest ever in the event. This record was surpassed by Bernard Lagat
's 3:26.34 in Bruxelles in 2001 August 24. Lagat achieved this record when he finished 2nd behind Hicham El Guerrouj (3:26.12).
, Hicham El Guerrouj
, world record holder and twice world champion, had only been defeated once since the previous Olympics, and was the overwhelming favourite. The two rivals lead the race going into the last lap of the final, El Guerrouj leading Ngeny. With less than 100 m to go, Ngeny started moving next to the leader, grabbing the lead with just 15 m to go. He held on until the finish line, causing one of the greatest upsets at the Sydney Olympics.
In the process, Ngeny set an Olympic record of 3:32.07, surpassing Sebastian Coe's Olympics record of 3:32.53, set in 1984. Hicham El Guerrouj
settled for silver in 3:32.32 and Ngeny's compatriot Bernard Lagat
, another Kenyan runner at that time, now a US citizen, took bronze in 3:32.44.
Noah Ngeny became the third Kenyan to win the 1500 m crown following Kip Keino
(1968 Mexico City Olympics
) and Peter Rono
(1988 Seoul Olympics
).
The year 2000 was the highlight of Ngeny's running career. He posted career bests of 1:44.49 for 800 m (2000 July 28 in Oslo) and 3:28.12 for 1500 m(at the Weltklasse Zürich
in 2000 August 11), en route to his Olympic triumph (2000 September 29).
His career best time of 3:28.12 at Zürich now makes him the 4th fastest 1500 metre runner of all-time, behind Hicham El Guerrouj
, Bernard Lagat
, and Noureddine Morceli
.
in Edmonton after defying instructions from the national federation to return home from Britain where he trains.
While El Guerrouj went on to win the 2001 and 2003 World Championships, Ngeny could not follow up his 2000 success, partly due to a debilitating car accident.
Ngeny returned to Australia in 2001 to win the Goodwill Games Mile in Brisbane but a car crash in Kenya in November of that year put him out of action for much of the winter. The injury sustained in the car accident (injury to the back and pelvis) dogged Ngeny ever since. He competed sparsely in 2003 & 2004 recording a best time of 3:33.38 but failing in his attempt to qualify for the Kenyan Olympic team, and was not able to defend his title in Athens
.
Ngeny did not run at the Kenyan trials of the 2003 World Championships
because of the injuries.
Ngeny announced his official retirement from international athletics on 22 November 2006.
After retirement, he has been an athletics coach for Kenya Defence Forces .
Ngeny was so proud of his performance at the 2000 Sydney Olympics that he named his daughter Marion Sydney Ngeny.
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 athlete, Olympic 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...
ist at 1500 m
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, and world record holder in the 1000 m.
Before Sydney
Ngeny is from Kabenes village in Kipsangui location in Ziwa division of Uasin Gishu DistrictUasin Gishu District
Uasin Gishu District is one of the seventy-one districts of Kenya, located in the Rift Valley Province. The city of Eldoret is its capital, administrative center and commercial center....
. Ngeny played volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
during his school years and did not start running until 1996.
Ngeny first came to international prominence by setting two World Junior records in 1997 - 3:32.91 for 1500 m in Monaco and 3:50.41 for the Mile in Nice, and under the guidance of renowned manager and coach, the late Kim McDonald, his progression continued in 1998, improving his 1500 m time to 3:30.34 in Monaco.
In 1999 July 7, in Roma, Ngeny was second to El Guerrouj when the latter set the world record (3:43.13) for the mile run. Ngeny stayed close to Hicham El Guerrouj
Hicham El Guerrouj
Hicham El Guerrouj "King of the Mile" is a Moroccan former middle distance runner...
down the stretch to finish at 3:43.40, still the second fastest mile ever run, and almost a full second inside the old WR (3:44.39) of Noureddine Morceli
Noureddine Morceli
Noureddine Morceli is a retired Algerian athlete, winner of the 1500 m run at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Born in Ténès, Noureddine Morceli rose to athletic prominence after winning the silver medal in the 1500 m at the World Junior Championships in 1988...
.
In 1999 August 24, Ngeny took the 1500 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....
(3:28.73) in the IAAF 1999 World Championships in Athletics
1999 World Championships in Athletics
The 7th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Estadio Olímpico, Seville, Spain, between the August 20 and August 29....
in Seville, Spain, behind the reigning world champion El Guerrouj (3:27.65).
In 1999 September 5, Ngeny set the current world record 2:11.96 over 1000 m in Rieti
Rieti
Rieti is a city and comune in Lazio, central Italy, with a population of c. 47,700. It is the capital of province of Rieti.The town centre rests on a small hilltop, commanding a wide plain at the southern edge of an ancient lake. The area is now the fertile basin of the Velino River...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, breaking the 18 years-standing record 2:12.18 held by Sebastian Coe (Coe's record was achieved in 1981). Ngeny's time of 2:11.96 still stands as the World record with no other runner coming within 2 seconds of the time since. The previous record had been the oldest standing record at the time. It was also the last world record of any running distance that had not been previously held by an athlete of African descent.
In 1999 Ngeny recorded six sub 3:30 clockings for 1500 m and established himself as the closest rival to World champion and World record holder Hicham El Guerrouj.
In 2000 August 11, Ngeny finished second to El Guerrouj (3:27.21) in the 1500 m at the Weltklasse Zürich
Weltklasse Zürich
Weltklasse Zürich is an annual track and field meeting at the Letzigrund in Zurich, Switzerland. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. One of the first large-scale international athletics events , it is sometimes referred to as the one day...
meet in a time of 3:28.12, making him the Kenyan record
Kenyan records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Kenya maintained by Athletics Kenya .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to a longer distanceA = affected by altitude# = not officially ratifiedOT = oversized track-External links:*...
holder and third fastest ever in the event. This record was surpassed by Bernard Lagat
Bernard Lagat
Bernard Kipchirchir Lagat is an American middle and long distance champion athlete.Lagat was born in Kapsabet, Kenya...
's 3:26.34 in Bruxelles in 2001 August 24. Lagat achieved this record when he finished 2nd behind Hicham El Guerrouj (3:26.12).
Sydney triumph
In 2000 September 29, at the 1500 m final of 2000 Sydney Olympics2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, Hicham El Guerrouj
Hicham El Guerrouj
Hicham El Guerrouj "King of the Mile" is a Moroccan former middle distance runner...
, world record holder and twice world champion, had only been defeated once since the previous Olympics, and was the overwhelming favourite. The two rivals lead the race going into the last lap of the final, El Guerrouj leading Ngeny. With less than 100 m to go, Ngeny started moving next to the leader, grabbing the lead with just 15 m to go. He held on until the finish line, causing one of the greatest upsets at the Sydney Olympics.
In the process, Ngeny set an Olympic record of 3:32.07, surpassing Sebastian Coe's Olympics record of 3:32.53, set in 1984. Hicham El Guerrouj
Hicham El Guerrouj
Hicham El Guerrouj "King of the Mile" is a Moroccan former middle distance runner...
settled for silver in 3:32.32 and Ngeny's compatriot Bernard Lagat
Bernard Lagat
Bernard Kipchirchir Lagat is an American middle and long distance champion athlete.Lagat was born in Kapsabet, Kenya...
, another Kenyan runner at that time, now a US citizen, took bronze in 3:32.44.
Noah Ngeny became the third Kenyan to win the 1500 m crown following Kip Keino
Kipchoge Keino
Kipchoge Keino , chairman of the Kenyan Olympic Committee , is a retired Kenyan track and field athlete and two-time Olympic gold medalist...
(1968 Mexico City Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
) and Peter Rono
Peter Rono
Peter Kipchumba Rono is a former Kenyan athlete, who won the 1,500 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics....
(1988 Seoul Olympics
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...
).
The year 2000 was the highlight of Ngeny's running career. He posted career bests of 1:44.49 for 800 m (2000 July 28 in Oslo) and 3:28.12 for 1500 m(at the Weltklasse Zürich
Weltklasse Zürich
Weltklasse Zürich is an annual track and field meeting at the Letzigrund in Zurich, Switzerland. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. One of the first large-scale international athletics events , it is sometimes referred to as the one day...
in 2000 August 11), en route to his Olympic triumph (2000 September 29).
His career best time of 3:28.12 at Zürich now makes him the 4th fastest 1500 metre runner of all-time, behind Hicham El Guerrouj
Hicham El Guerrouj
Hicham El Guerrouj "King of the Mile" is a Moroccan former middle distance runner...
, Bernard Lagat
Bernard Lagat
Bernard Kipchirchir Lagat is an American middle and long distance champion athlete.Lagat was born in Kapsabet, Kenya...
, and Noureddine Morceli
Noureddine Morceli
Noureddine Morceli is a retired Algerian athlete, winner of the 1500 m run at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Born in Ténès, Noureddine Morceli rose to athletic prominence after winning the silver medal in the 1500 m at the World Junior Championships in 1988...
.
After Sydney
Ngeny was dropped from the Kenyan team for the 2001 World Championships2001 World Championships in Athletics
The 8th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada between 3 August and 12 August and was the first time the event had visited North America...
in Edmonton after defying instructions from the national federation to return home from Britain where he trains.
While El Guerrouj went on to win the 2001 and 2003 World Championships, Ngeny could not follow up his 2000 success, partly due to a debilitating car accident.
Ngeny returned to Australia in 2001 to win the Goodwill Games Mile in Brisbane but a car crash in Kenya in November of that year put him out of action for much of the winter. The injury sustained in the car accident (injury to the back and pelvis) dogged Ngeny ever since. He competed sparsely in 2003 & 2004 recording a best time of 3:33.38 but failing in his attempt to qualify for the Kenyan Olympic team, and was not able to defend his title in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
.
Ngeny did not run at the Kenyan trials of the 2003 World Championships
2003 World Championships in Athletics
The 9th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held from 23 August to 31 August 2003 in the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.-Track:...
because of the injuries.
Ngeny announced his official retirement from international athletics on 22 November 2006.
After retirement, he has been an athletics coach for Kenya Defence Forces .
Ngeny was so proud of his performance at the 2000 Sydney Olympics that he named his daughter Marion Sydney Ngeny.
Personal bests
| Distance | Mark | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 800 m | 1:44.49 | July 28, 2000 | Oslo Oslo Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King... |
| 1,000 m | 2:11.96 WR | September 5, 1999 | Rieti Rieti Rieti is a city and comune in Lazio, central Italy, with a population of c. 47,700. It is the capital of province of Rieti.The town centre rests on a small hilltop, commanding a wide plain at the southern edge of an ancient lake. The area is now the fertile basin of the Velino River... |
| 1,500 m | 3:28.12 | August 11, 2000 | Zurich Zürich Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich... |
| Mile | 3:43.40 | July 7, 1999 | Rome Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half... |
| 2,000 m | 4:50.08 | July 30, 1999 | 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... |
| 3,000 m | 7:35.46 | June 9, 2000 | Seville Seville Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level... |
External links
- The Standard (Kenya)The Standard (Kenya)The Standard is one of the leading newspapers in Kenya with a 20% market share. It is the oldest newspaper in the country owned by The Standard Group, which also runs the Kenya Television Network . The Standard Group is headquartered at the I&M Bank Tower in Nairobi.- History :The newspaper was...
, May 14, 2006: Electric Ngeny plots comeback - Pace Sports Management