Stranded abroad, legendary Henry Rono appeals for help to return home

Kenyan track and field athletics’ legend Henry Rono is reportedly broke and stuck abroad and is asking for the Kenyan gorvenment to sponsor him with a plane ticket back to the country. The athlete is best remembered for breaking a four track world records (3000m, 5000m, 10,000m and the 3000m steeplechase) in a span of just 81 days back in 1978.

According to Nation Sport, 66-year-old Rono reached out to them with a passionate appeal asking to be helped with a ticket home.

“Yes, I would like the government to help me get back home by getting me a ticket… I can’t afford living in the USA. I’m getting old… Also, being away from home for over 32 years is too long,” Rono stated from his US base in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Rono, who is also a recovering alcoholic, moved to the US 32 years ago after his career and took a coaching job in Albuquerque. His life however took a wrong turn and he is now working as a security guard at the Albuquerque airport.

There is an often-told story that, in September 1981, Rono got drunk the night before he was due to run a 5000m in Knarvik, near Oslo. The following day he ran for an hour in the morning to sweat out the alcohol and recover from the hangover and that night set a World record of 13:06.20.

The following July. Rono lost that particular World record to Britain’s David Moorcroft, in a race which he finished a distant fourth. By 1984, with Kenya returning the Olympic arena after boycotting the 1976 and 1980 Olympics, Rono’s drinking and rising weight sadly meant that he was a long way from being in the top echelon and was unable to compete on the global stage.

Meanwhile, Athletics Kenya president Jack Tuwei has said that his Association is ready to help the legend.

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“He did a lot for this country and we can’t fail to get help for him,” said Tuwei. “We need information such as costs of tickets, who he could be travelling with and other details, and then see how we can support.”