Moses Ndiema Masai

Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Kenya
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Berlin 10000 m

Moses Ndiema Masai (born 1 June 1986 in Kapsogom, Mount Elgon District) is a Kenyan runner who specializes in the 10,000 metres.

Masai is from Bugaa village, four kilometres from Kapsokwony town.[1] Born to John Barasa Masai and Leonida Cherop, he is the first born out of ten children.[2] He started running while at Kapsogom Primary School. Later he joined Bishop Okiring Secondary School. At the 2005 Kenyan Sports Personality of the Year awards he won the most promising sportsman category.[3] He won a bronze medal at the 2007 IAAF World Athletics Final in the 5000 m.

He ran in the 2008 Summer Olympics and managed to finish in fourth position in the 10,000 metres final, narrowly missing out on a medal.

His younger sister, Linet Masai, won the women's 10,000 metres gold at the 2009 World Championships, while he won bronze over the same distance. Other siblings Dennis,[4] Ndiema [1] and Magdaline are also runners.[2] Their father John Barasa Masai is also a former runner,[2] while Ben Jipcho, a legendary athlete, is their distant uncle.[1]

Moses Masai won the 2009 New Year's Eve San Silvestre Vallecana race.[5] He took the World's Best 10K title at the 2010 race in Puerto Rico, scoring a new course record of 27:19 and picking up a bonus for his fast time.[6] He signed up for the Dam tot Damloop in September 2010 and was a close runner-up to John Mwangangi, finishing a second behind his compatriot.[7] He made only three appearances in 2011, running at the FBK Games, Prefontaine Classic and the World's Best 10K, but finished outside the top five on each occasion.[8]

In spite of his low-profile in prior seasons, he gained a place on the Kenyan Olympic team by coming second at the 10,000 m trials at 2012 Prefontaine Classic.[9] Unfortunately, at the Olympics themselves, he could only manage a twelfth-placed finish.[10]

Masai trains with PACE Sports Management.[11] He is married to Doris Changeywo and the couple has a daughter.

He is not to be confused with another Kenyan runner named Moses Masai, known for running marathons and road races in Central Europe.[12]

Achievements

Key:   Course record

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing  Kenya
2004 World Junior Championships Grosseto, Italy 10th 10,000 m 29:32.48
2005 African Junior Championships Radès, Tunisia 1st 5,000 m 13:45.15
1st 10,000 m 28:30.27
2007 World Athletics Final Stuttgart, Germany 3rd 5,000 m 13:39.96
2008 World Cross Country Championships Edinburgh, Scotland 5th Senior race (12 km) 35:02
1st Team competition 39 pts
2009 World Championships Berlin, Germany 3rd 10,000 m 26:57.39
2010 2010 World's Best 10K San Juan, Puerto Rico 1st 10,000 m 27:19.0 CR
2013 Okpekpe International Road Race Okpekpe, Nigeria 1st 10 kilometres 29:39

Personal bests

References

  1. ^ a b c "Mt Elgon celebrates Masai's triumph". The Standard. 20 August 2009. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
  2. ^ a b c "For track marvels, it runs in the family". Daily Nation. 20 August 2009. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
  3. ^ The Standard, 21 March 2008: Setting the pace for a successful sporting family. Retrieved 29 June 2008.
  4. ^ "Wonder girl Masai heads to Edinburgh". The Standard. 23 March 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2010.[dead link]
  5. ^ "Fulfilling favourite roles, Masai and Cheruiyot prevail in Madrid". IAAF. 1 January 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  6. ^ Kuehls, Dave (1 March 2010). "Masai and Cheruiyot take crowns in San Juan". IAAF. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  7. ^ van Hemert, Wim (20 September 2010). "Fast ten mile runs for Kibet and Mwangangi in Zaandam". IAAF. Archived from the original on 23 September 2010. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  8. ^ "Moses Masai". Tilastopaja. Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  9. ^ Gains, Paul (2 June 2012). "Dibaba 30:24.39 and Kiprop 27:01.98 on stunning but wet first night in Eugene – Samsung Diamond League". IAAF. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  10. ^ "Moses Masai Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Moses Masai". PACE Sports Management. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  12. ^ IAAF profile for Moses Masai (marathon runner) IAAF. Retrieved 29 June 2008.
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