Thomas Longosiwa

Thomas Pkemei Longosiwa (born January 14, 1982 in West Pokot District) is a runner from Kenya who has competed at the two Olympics, winning a bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He is also the Kenyan 5000 metres champion from 2007.[1]

Thomas Longosiwa
Thomas Longosiwa in 2012
Personal information
NationalityKenyan
Born (1982-01-14) 14 January 1982
Sport
SportRunning
Event(s)5000 metres
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)3000 m: 7:30.09 (2009)
5000 m: 12:49.04 (2012)
10000 m: 28:11.30 (2006)
10000 m (road): 27:56 (2004)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Kenya
Olympic Games
2012 London 5000 m
All-Africa Games
2015 Brazzaville 5000 m

He was selected to represent Kenya at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Beijing, but during the Kenyan training camp he was caught to have two Kenyan passports, one indicating he was born in 1982 and the other 1988. The latter passport would have enabled him to compete at the championships. He was arrested for several days and fined 1500 US Dollars.[2][3] A senior police official was accused of forging the age of Longosiwa and some other athletes.[4] Earlier in 2006 Longosiwa had competed at the junior category of the 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where he finished 13th,[5] but was later disqualified.[6]

He began competing on the senior circuit in 2007, coming sixth at the 2007 All-Africa Games and then running the 3000 m and 5000 m events at the 2007 IAAF World Athletics Final. He gained selection for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and came twelfth in the men's 5000 m final. He set a 3000 m personal best of 7:30.09 at the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix in May 2009, finishing runner-up to Eliud Kipchoge in a time of 7:30.09 minutes.[7] He also ran in the event at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final, where he came tenth. He struggled in 2010 due to bouts of typhoid and malaria.[8]

He won the Cross della Vallagarina in Italy in January 2011.[9] He was part of the Kenyan team for the 2011 World Championships in Athletics and came sixth in the men's 5000 metres. He closed the track season with a second-place finish over 5000 m at the Memorial van Damme Diamond League meeting. In November, he ran the opening leg of the International Chiba Ekiden and won the first stage which helped the team to victory.[10]

In March 2012 he won the 80th edition of the Cinque Mulini and came third at the Trofeo Alasport.[11][12] He was runner-up to Edwin Soi at the Giro Media Blenio in April.[13] Longosiwa was second in the 5000 m at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix and secured a place on the Kenyan Olympic team with a top three finish at the trials. He ran a 5000 m best of 12:49.04 minutes a month before the 2012 London Olympics then went on to win his first ever major medal, taking the bronze medal in the Olympic 5000 m final.[14] After the Olympics he ran in the 2012 Diamond League final, where he placed second behind Isaiah Kiplangat Koech.[15] Two podium finishes at the Giro di Castelbuono and Giro al Sas brought a close to the year for Longosiwa.[16][17]

Major competition record
Year Competition Venue Position Notes
2007 All-Africa Games Algiers, Algeria 6th 5000 m [18]
World Athletics Final Stuttgart, Germany 5th 3000 m
8th 5000 m
2008 Olympic Games Beijing, China 12th 5000 m
2009 World Athletics Final Thessaloniki, Greece 10th 3000 m
2011 World Championships Daegu, South Korea 6th 5000 m
2012 Olympic Games London, United Kingdom 3rd 5000 m

Personal bests
Event Time (m:s) Venue Date
3000 m7:30.09Doha, Qatar8 May 2009
5000 m12:49.04Paris, France6 July 2012
10000 m28:11.3Nairobi, Kenya22 July 2006
10 km (road)27:56Eldoret, Kenya31 October 2004
  • All information taken from IAAF profile.
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References
  1. IAAF, June 17, 2007: Kiprop's roll continues as Kenyan championships conclude
  2. People's Daily Online, June 18, 2007: Kenyan accused of age cheat, wins 5,000m at nationals
  3. People's Daily Online, September 2, 2006: Roundup: Fears of age cheating grips Kenyan athletes
  4. People's Daily Online, August 9, 2006: Kenyan police officer accused of age falsification
  5. 34th IAAF World Cross Country Championships Fukuoka Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 April 2006 Junior Race MEN
  6. 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships - Junior race men results Archived 2012-10-22 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Butcher, Pat (2009-05-08). 13 world leads in Doha - IAAF World Athletics Tour - UPDATED. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-01-20.
  8. "IAAF: Thomas Pkemei Longosiwa | Profile". iaaf.org. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  9. Sampaolo, Diego (2011-01-17). Longosiwa and Birtukane take commanding victories in Vallagarina XC. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-01-20.
  10. Nakamura, Ken (2011-11-23). Teenagers Mwikya and Mokua lead Kenya to Chiba Ekiden victory. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-11-25.
  11. Sampaolo, Diego (2012-03-18). Kenyan sweep at Cinque Mulini. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-03-25.
  12. Sampaolo, Diego (2012-03-26). Kipkoech and Jepleting take close victories in Sardinia XC. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-03-26.
  13. Sampaolo, Diego (2012-04-09). Soi soars to fourth 10km victory in Switzerland. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-05-19.
  14. Ramsak, Bob (2012-08-11). London 2012 - Event Report - Men's 5000m Final. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-01-26.
  15. Rowbottom, Mike (2013-01-03). 2012 Samsung Diamond League Review – Part 2. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-01-26.
  16. Bekele and Burka win at San Silvestre Vallecana in Madrid. IAAF (2013-01-01). Retrieved on 2013-01-26.
  17. Sampaolo, Diego (2012-09-15). Lemma dominates in Carpi, Soi takes Trento 10K. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-01-26.
  18. 2007 All-Africa Games, July 18-22, Algiers
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