American university immortalises Kenyan legend Henry Rono with bronze statue
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 07.10.25. | 16:33
Rono’s name is forever etched in athletics history for a feat that stunned the world in 1978. He broke four world records in just 81 days
Washington State University (WSU) has immortalised the late Henry Rono with a bronze statue erected on its Pullman campus to celebrate his extraordinary achievements in athletics.
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Rono, who passed away in February 2024, remains one of Kenya’s most remarkable distance runners and one of the greatest collegiate athletes in American history.
The 2.13-metre-tall, 159-kilogram bronze sculpture now stands at the north end of Mooberry Track, near Flag Lane, overlooking the very fields where he trained nearly five decades ago.
The statue was crafted by wildlife and sporting sculptor and WSU alumnus Ott Jones. It was unveiled this semester as a tribute to Rono’s unmatched achievements and inspiration.
Rono’s name is forever etched in athletics history for a feat that stunned the world in 1978. He broke four world records in just 81 days.
In that short span, Rono set new global marks in the 3000m, 5000m, 10,000m, and 3000m steeplechase, achievements that elevated both his reputation and that of the university.
His 3000m and 3000m steeplechase world records stood for more than a decade.
Born on February 12, 1952, in Kiptaragon village in Kenya’s Rift Valley, Rono’s journey to greatness was not without its challenges.
A childhood bicycle accident left him unable to walk until the age of six. Inspired by two-time Olympic champion Kip Keino, he began running and later joined the Kenya Army in 1973, where his talent quickly flourished.
Though selected to represent Kenya at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Rono missed out due to his country’s boycott of the Games.
He later moved to the United States to study at Washington State University, where he flourished under the guidance of legendary coach John Chaplin.
At WSU, Rono won three NCAA Cross Country titles (1976, 1977, and 1979), two NCAA Steeplechase titles (1978, 1979), and the NCAA Indoor 3000m title (1977).
His performances helped redefine collegiate running standards and inspired generations of athletes who followed.
Rono’s record-breaking spree began on April 8, 1978, when he ran 13:08.4 for 5000m in Berkeley, California, erasing Dick Quax’s world record.
A month later, he clocked 8:05.4 in the 3000m steeplechase in Seattle, slicing 2.6 seconds off Anders Garderud’s record.
On June 11, he set a new 10,000m world record of 27:22.47 in Vienna, breaking compatriot Samson Kimobwa’s record by eight seconds.
Just sixteen days later, at the Bislett Games in Oslo, he set another mark, 7:32.1 in the 3000m, eclipsing Brendan Foster’s long-standing record.
That year, Rono won 31 outdoor races, including doubles at the All-Africa Games in Algiers (3000m steeplechase and 10,000m) and at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton (3000m steeplechase and 5000m).
Rono graduated from WSU in 1981 with a degree in general studies. The same year, he set his fifth world record, lowering his 5000m time to 13:06.20 in Knarvik, Norway.
After retiring from competition, he dedicated his life to education and coaching, inspiring young athletes to pursue their dreams.
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