Benjamin Limo

Benjamin Kipkoech Limo (born August 23, 1974 in Chepkongony, Uasin Gishu) is a Kenyan middle distance runner. He runs every distance from 1500 m to 10,000 m, but mainly competes in 5,000 m, where he has won international medals.

Limo went to Chebara and Lelboinet High Schools, but enlisted for the Kenyan Army in 1993, without completing his studies. He started full-time training in 1996 and was based at an army camp in Ngong, near capital Nairobi. He competed at the 1998 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Marrakech, Morocco and finished fourth in the short race. It was his first race abroad.

His first international medals came in 1999, when he won the 1999 World Cross Country Championships and placed second in the 5,000 m at the World Championships, less than a second behind Salah Hissou. Remindfully, notice that this happened a year after he ran his first 5,000 m.

In 2002, Limo won silver medals at the Commonwealth Games and at the African Championships. In August 2005 he outsprinted Sileshi Sihine to become world champion. He won a bronze medal in the 5000m at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Benjamin Limo has never participated in the Olympic Games, due to the rule which allows only three athletes from each nation to participate. His nation Kenya having an abundance of good middle distance runners, it is extremely difficult to qualify.

Limo was awarded the 2005 Kenyan Sportsman of the Year award [IAAF, March 2, 2006: [http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=131072/newsId=33649.html "Athletes dominate Kenyan Sports Awards"] ] . He is managed by Ricky Simms of Pace Sports Management.

He is married with four children (as of 2006).

Limo is not related to world champion Richard Limo, but might be distantly related to another Kenyan runner, Felix Limo [http://www2.iaaf.org/News/Articles/getnews.asp?Event=GLE00&Code=2413] .

External links

*iaaf name|id=132786|name=Benjamin Limo
* [http://www.iaaf.org/news/athletes/newsid=35221.html IAAF: Focus on Athletes]
* [http://www.pacesportsmanagement.com/athlete_profile.asp?id=18 Pace Sports Management]
*cite news |first=Omulo |last=Okoth |title=A Kenyan XC legend - Benjamin Limo |url=http://www.iaaf.org/WXC07/news/Kind=2/newsId=38025.html |work=IAAF |date=2007-03-20 |accessdate=2007-03-20