Moses Mosop

Moses Mosop began making a name for himself at a young age 🧒. At just 19, he participated in the Athens Olympics in 2004 🇬🇷, finishing 7th in the 10,000 meters. Quite a remarkable achievement for someone who was still relatively unknown, don't you think? However, his real breakthrough came in 2005 at the Helsinki World Championships. He shattered his 10,000 m track time with 27:08.96, earning himself a bronze medal 🥉. This was his PR "personal record" and a clear indicator that he was destined to become a major force in the sport 🏃.

Two years later, in 2007, he became the world cross-country vice-champion 👏. Did you know that this discipline originated in Great Britain? 🇬🇧 Today, it's particularly popular among young athletes and military personnel as a way to enhance their fitness. In cross-country, athletes compete over middle distances, generally between four and twelve kilometers. The courses are challenging, often on trails 🌿, fields, or muddy terrains. While there are numerous great cross-country runners worldwide, a few stand out from the rest 😏.

As if that wasn't enough, he also clinched the team gold with Kenya in 2009.

The shift to road racing!

One day, Moses thought, "Why not try a marathon?" No half-measures here. In April 2011, he debuted at the Boston Marathon.

He completed the race in 2 hours, 3 minutes, and 6 seconds. Yes, you read that right. It was the fastest debut marathon time ever recorded then 🫡. He secured second place, but his time on a non-record-eligible course was a massive shock in the running world 😯. Just a few months later, in October 2011, he was back at it again, this time in Chicago. There, he took the lead, winning with a time of 2 hours, 5 minutes, and 37 seconds, setting a new course record 🏆. This champion had evidently found his path on the road 🛣️. Just in case you thought he was only focusing on marathons, he also broke the world records for the 25,000 m and 30,000 m track events in Eugene in 2011.

The runner with three lives

His personal life isn't all about running. He's married to Florence Kiplagat, also a top-tier marathoner (yes, speed runs in the Mosop family).

Moreover, three disciplines follow him in his daily life: track, cross-country, and road racing. Moses Mosop has done it all. He might not have the most flashy record in the field ✨, but his talent and versatility make him a unique athlete. If you didn't know his name before, make sure you remember it now 👈.