I was saddened to hear about the passing of Henry Rono, a record setting long distance runner from Kenya. Rono attended WSU at the same time that I did.
Although, I did not meet him nor do I remember having any classes with him, I read about him frequently in the campus newspaper, The Daily Evergreen.
2 comments:
Mike. I remember Rink and as a freshman drank with nine at the Cougar Cottage circa 80 or 81
What needs more remember is how I. The span of five weeks in 1978 Rono set FIVE World Records. The American-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics swept up 40 allied countries including Room’s native Kenya.
History shows the Brits and Russians excelled at distance events that year while the world beat runner sat in the sidelines.
When I met Rono he had a small beer belly, was very affable and the most non-assuming person you could ever imagine. He loved Pullman and was such a rare talent in our outpost of a u I wraith that no one really knew what to do with him.
An incredible athlete for sure. I remember watching Kip Keino from Kenya in the '68 Olympics (on TV on course) and that was where I first heard of Kenya.
The boycott really did a number on him, it sounds like and really robbed him of well-deserved recognition.
He may have also got a better deal going to Oregon or USC. We'll never know.
Your thoughts on that?
I'm glad he became a Coug and it shows we really have a source of pride, as if we didn't already know that.
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