Matthew Kiprotich Birir

Matthew Kiprotich Birir (born July 5, 1972 in Eldama Ravine ) is a former Kenyan obstacle runner and Olympic champion .

He began serious running training when he attended St. Patrick's High School in Iten , which has produced numerous well-known Kenyan track and field athletes.

Patrick Sang was the biggest favorite for the 3000 meter obstacle course at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona . But in the last lap of the final race, Birir sprinted over his compatriot and won the gold medal with a lead of 69 hundredths of a second.

At the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart , Birir was relegated to fourth place by Italian Alessandro Lambruschini . Exactly the same happened three years later at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta , when Birir again had to be content with fourth place.

Web links

• Matthew Birir Kiprotich in the database of World Athletics (English)