Lopez Lomong
Lopez Lomong (born Lopepe Lomong ; born January 1, 1985 in Kimotong ) is an American middle-distance runner of Sudanese origin.
As a boy of six, he was kidnapped by a militia that recruited child soldiers during the civil war in South Sudan . He fled and made his way to Kenya , where he lived in the Kakuma refugee camp for ten years . As part of a program of the International Rescue Committee , he came to the United States in 2001 as one of around 3500 so-called Lost Boys of Sudan , where a foster family in Tully ( Upstate New York ) took care of him .
He started out as a college athlete. His athletic talent led him to the team at Northern Arizona University . He started his professional career in 2007 with Nike as a sponsor and this year became NCAA champion over 3000 meters indoors and 1500 meters outdoors. In July 2007, he received US citizenship .
In 2008 he qualified as third in the US eliminations over 1500 meters for the Olympic Games in Beijing , where he reached the semifinals. In 2009 he was eighth over the same distance at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin , and in 2012 he was sixth over 3000 m at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Istanbul .
Lopez Lomong is a member of the Team Darfur athletes' association and is committed to resolving the Darfur conflict . He was designated as the flag bearer of the US team for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Games , which was taken as a political signal.
In 2019 he reached seventh place in the 10,000 meter run at the World Championships in Doha.
Personal bests
- 800 m : 1: 45.58 min, June 30, 2008, Eugene
- 1500 m: 3: 32.20 min, July 22, 2010, Monaco
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1 mile : 3: 51.45 min, June 1, 2013, Eugene
- Hall: 3: 51.21 min, February 16, 2013, New York City
- 3000 m: 7: 39.81 min, September 7, 2014, Rieti
- Hall: 7: 37.74 min, February 27, 2020, Boston
- 5000 m: 13:00, 13 min, September 10, 2019, Beaverton
- Hall: 13:07 min, March 1, 2013, New York City
- 10,000 m: 27: 04.72 min, October 6, 2019, Doha
Web links
- Official website of Lopez Lomong
- Lopez Lomong in the database of World Athletics (English)
- Athlete portrait at USA Track & Field
- “I came all the way here, so I have to run” , portrait of Tom Farrey on the ESPN website, July 2, 2008
- Lopez Lomong: "America gave me light" in an interview with Jürgen Kalwa in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung , December 31, 2008
Footnotes
- ↑ Michael Reinsch: America's standard bearer: The personified charge Lopez Lomong . In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung . August 7, 2008
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Lomong, Lopez |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Lomong, Lopepe |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American middle-distance runner of Sudanese descent |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 1, 1985 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Kimotong ( Sharq al-Istiwa'iyya ) |