Isaac Songok

Isaac Songok has always been a hot talent. The second of seven children, Songok was already a two-time primary school champion over 5000m when he was spotted by famed coach Brother Colm O’Connell in 2001 and urged to drop down to the 1500m. That year, Songok won the 1500m at the Kenyan World Youth trials, and went on to win the same distance at the IAAF World Youth Championships. Later that year, he broke American Jim Ryun’s 37-year old under-18 world record for the mile with a time of 3:54.56. He broke the world junior record for 2000m in a time of 4:56.86, a mark that still stands today.

Since become a senior, Songok’s career has been marked with very fast times on the track and podium finishes in cross country. In 2005, Songok’s winning time at the Golden Gala in Rome made him the fourth fastest man in the world over 5000m. The following year, Songok posted the second fastest mark in the world at 5000m, and was the fastest man in the world over 3000m. Not coincidentally, Songok earned bronze and silver medals in the short course race at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 2005 and 2006, respectively.

Though clearly very fast on the track and a medal winner in cross country, Songok has not been able to garner a medal on the senior stage at a major championships. Erratic pacing in the 1500m at the 2004 Olympics left Songok in a distance 12th place. Songok was again met with disappointment in the next two additions of the IAAF World Championships. In Helsinki in 2005, he was left behind in the mad dash for the finish following the pedestrian opening pace in the 5000m, and two years later, his form wilted badly in Osaka’s steamy heat, and he failed to qualify for the final. Having proven his speed, there’s no doubt that Songok will be eager to prove himself as a champion on the track this summer in Beijing.