Rono inducted into NEC Hall of Fame

WASHINGTON DC

Peter Rono, a renowned Kenyan living in New Jersey, USA, was last month inducted in to the Northeast Athletics Conference Hall of Fame in a colourful ceremony at his Alma Mater, Mount St Mary’s University, located in Emmetsburg, Maryland.

Rono was a student in this School when he won gold in 1,500m at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

He made history because he was only 21 when he blazed the field to grab the gold, subsequently becoming the youngest athlete in the world to ever accomplish this fete, a record that still stands.

And despite the school’s legendary sports programme and outstanding athletic achievements, Peter’s remains the only gold won by its students as well as any student in the Northeast Conference.

Peter Rono after being inducted to Northeast Athletics Conference Hall of Fame last month. [PHOTOS: COURTESY]

Wild cheers filled the gymnasium as the video recording of Peter’s winning blaze and glorious moment played on a large screen, and just as happened in that night amongst the expectant crowd that sat through the night to watch their comrade, the home crowd bubbled with excitement.

The thousand-plus crowd stood and cheered as the Olympian walked to the centre stage to receive his plague. A clearly joyous Peter waved to the ecstatic crowd, his gold glinting as he turned to blow kisses of appreciation to all sides of the crowd.

Sterling Achievements

Besides the Olympics’ gold, Peter has many other athletic medals and records to his name, some won while in primary school, and others while at the famous high altitude athletics hub, St Patrick’s’ High School in Iten, Kenya.

While in High School, Rono won gold in both 1,500m and 5,000m during the 1984 Junior World Championships held in Seoul, South Korea. He won silver in both the World Cross Country Championships held in Switzerland and African Championships held in Cairo. He also won gold in 1,500m during the All African Games in Nairobi in 1987 and later silver in the same event at the World Championships in Rome.

Following his Olympics gold medal win, Rono received official recognition by Pope John Paul in the Vatican. He also received three distinctions – the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW) bestowed on him by Kenya’s second President Daniel Moi during the 1988 Jamuhuri Day Celebrations, Distinction for African Excellence by the then President of Zaire, Mobutu SeSe Seko and by Prince Edward of Monaco, France.

Mount St Mary’s University inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 1997 in a big ceremony held in the same venue as the second induction. He is also a Hall of Famer with the NCAA Division II.

"Peter is a legend in the annals of Mount St Mary’s University athletics history," said coach Deegan.