Noah Ngeny Kenyan athlete, Olympic gold medalist, 2000 Summer Olympics medalist and world record holder in the 1000 meters. Date of Birth: 02.11.1978 Country: Kenya

Biography of Noah Ngeny

Noah Ngeny, a Kenyan athlete, is a former Olympic champion and world record holder in the 1000-meter race. He spent a significant portion of his athletic career competing against the legendary runner, Hicham El Guerrouj. El Guerrouj had consistently emerged victorious in their previous encounters, but Ngeny finally managed to overcome his rival at the Sydney Olympics.

Ngeny was born in Uasin Gishu District, Kenya. During his school days, he was actively involved in volleyball and showed little interest in running. It was only in 1996 that Ngeny decided to pursue athletics. In 1997, he achieved his first taste of success by setting two junior world records. He completed the 1500-meter distance in Monaco in 3:32.91 and conquered the one-mile race in Nice with a time of 3:50.41. Encouraged by these accomplishments, Ngeny continued to improve his performance under the guidance of his coach and manager, Kim McDonald.

In 1998, Ngeny broke his own record by clocking 3:30.34 in the 1500-meter race in Monaco. However, on July 7, 1999, El Guerrouj set a new world record in the one-mile race in Rome. Ngeny closely followed El Guerrouj throughout the race, but he couldn't match his competitor's record-breaking time. Nevertheless, Ngeny's performance was highly commendable, as he finished the mile in 3:43.40, improving upon the previous record of 3:44.39 set by Noureddine Morceli.

On August 24, 1999, Ngeny won a silver medal in the 1500-meter race at the IAAF World Championships in Seville, Spain. El Guerrouj emerged as the champion, leaving Ngeny with a second-place finish. Just a few days later, on September 5, 1999, Ngeny set a new world record in the 1000 meters in Rieti, Italy, completing the distance in 2:11.96. This record has remained unbroken to this day, with no other athlete coming close to Ngeny's time.

In 2000, Ngeny faced El Guerrouj once again in the 1500-meter race at the Weltklasse Zürich. Although Ngeny couldn't defeat his rival, he set a new Kenyan record and secured the third-best result in the history of the competition. His position in the top three was only broken on August 24, 2001, by Bernard Lagat in Brussels, where El Guerrouj claimed the first place yet again.

The pinnacle of Ngeny's career came at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. In the final of the 1500-meter race on September 29, 2000, Ngeny had to compete against his perennial rival, El Guerrouj. The two runners were neck and neck throughout most of the race, with El Guerrouj seemingly leading in the final stretch. However, Ngeny managed to overtake him just 15 meters before the finish line, securing a surprising victory. In addition to winning the gold medal, Ngeny set a new Olympic record, breaking Sebastian Coe's long-standing record from 1984. El Guerrouj had to settle for silver, while another Kenyan athlete, Bernard Lagat, claimed the bronze. Ngeny became the third Kenyan in history to win gold in the 1500 meters.

In 2001, Ngeny was excluded from the Kenyan national team for the World Championships due to his refusal to follow the instructions of the national federation and return home from Britain. El Guerrouj went on to win the championships in 2001 and 2003, while Ngeny's career was further hindered by a car accident in Kenya. The injuries he sustained, including damage to his spine and pelvic bones, significantly impacted his sporting career.

Although Ngeny continued to compete sporadically in 2003 and 2004, he no longer achieved the same level of success. He was unable to secure a spot in the Kenyan Olympic team. Consequently, he couldn't defend his championship title at the subsequent Olympics.

After his retirement, Ngeny worked as an athletics coach in the Kenyan army. On November 22, 2006, he officially announced his departure from professional sports. Despite the challenges he faced in the later years of his career, Ngeny's victory in Sydney remains one of the most memorable moments of his athletic journey.