That August, he also won the 5000 m and 3000 m steeplechase gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Canada at Edmonton. He lowered the 10,000 record by almost eight seconds, the 5000 by 4.5, the steeplechase by 2.6, and the 3000 by a full three seconds. In a span of only 81 days, he broke four world records: 10,000 m (27:22.5), the 5000 m (13:08.4), the 3000 m steeplechase (8:05.4), and the 3000 m (7:32.1) an achievement unparalleled in the history of distance running. The peak of Rono's running career was the 1978 season. He was also NCAA steeplechase champion in 19 and NCAA Indoor Champion in the 3000 m in 1977. His winning time of 28:07 in 1976, remains the fastest 10,000 m cross country time in NCAA history (in 2008 Galen Rupp ran 27:41 at the NCAA regional meet on a course that was said to be 80 m (87 yd) short of the regular measure). While at Washington State, Rono became only the third in history (after Gerry Lindgren and Steve Prefontaine) to win the NCAA Cross Country Championship three times, in 1976, 1977, and 1979.

More Kenyan runners later enrolled at WSU, including Bernard Lagat, Mike Kosgei, and Patrick Muturi. Rono was mentored on the Palouse by Cougar head coach John Chaplin. at Washington State University in Pullman, along with his compatriot Samson Kimobwa, who broke the 10,000 m world record in 1977. Starting in 1976, he attended college in the U.S. Running career īorn in Nandi Hills, Kenya, into the Nandi tribe, Rono started running while at primary school. Rono also set the world record for the 5000 metres twice, in 1978, then broke that record three years later. Although he never competed at the Olympics, Rono is remembered as one of the most prolific collegiate competitors in the history of track in the United States, as well as being the former record holder for the 3000 metres steeplechase for over a decade. Henry Rono (born 12 February 1952, in Kapsabet) is a Kenyan retired track and field athlete who specialised in various long-distance running events.

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