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Men Biographical Summaries

For each athlete, the following information is given: name, country, birthdate (where known) and biographical summary.The summary comprises personal bests, placings in significant international and domestic events (outdoors unless stated), and other information. Performances in 1997 contests and the 1996/1997 IAAF World Cross Challenge series are given separately.

Abbreviations - AAA = Amateur Athletic Association Championships (GBR); COM = Commonwealth Games; ECH = European Championships; ECP = European Cup; EIC = European Indoor Championships; EJC = European Junior Championships; EXC = European Cross Country Championships; GWG = Goodwill Games; OLY = Olympic Games; WCH = IAAF World Championships; WCP = IAAF World Cup; WIC = IAAF World Indoor Championships; WJC = IAAF World Junior Championships; WSG = World Student Games; WXC = IAAF World Cross Country Championships; WJXC = IAAF World Junior Cross Country Championships. dnf = Did not finish; dnq = Did not qualify; dns = Did not start; dq = Disqualified; ht = heat; pb = personal best; qf = quarter-final; sf = semi-final; SC = Steeplechase; XC = Cross Country

AKO Benedict TAN Born: 1968 Marathon pb: 2:13:53-94. Half Mar pb: 61:58-96. 1 Arusha 93; 12 Paris 94;14 Rotterdam 96. At WXC: 95-47 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 4 Amorebieta; 11 Tourcoing; 7 Albufeira

BARMASAI Bernard KEN 18-9-67 3000SC pb: 8:08.56-95. 3000 pb: 7:50.46-95. Came from nowhere into international class in 1994. 1 African Games 3000SC 95 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 1 Tourcoing; 2 Albufeira; 1 Diekirch (2nd in standings)

BROWN Jon GBR 27-2-71 5000/10,000 pbs: 13:19.78-93/27:59.72-96. 3 GWG 5000 94; 4 COM 5000 94; 10 OLY 10,000 96. 1 UK/AAA 5000 93. 1 NCAA indoor 5000 92. At WXC: 96-12. At EXC: 95-6, 96-1 (Won by 35 seconds). Holds British 15k road best (42:39). Ex-Iowa State. Born-Wales. German wife (Martina). Lives-Vancouver. Hobbies include bird watching 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 1 Durham; 2 Seville; 2 San Vittore (3rd in standings)

CULLEN Keith GBR 13-6-72 3000SC pb: 8:26.05-95. 5000 pb: 13:27.00-96. 3000 pb: 7:52.97-96. 1 under-23 ECP 3000SC 92; ht WCH 3000SC 95; 4 ECP 5000 96; sf OLY 3000SC 96. At WXC: 91-19J, 95-55, 96-57. At EXC: 95-4, 96-dnf. 1 British XC 96/97. Broke wrist after falling in 1996 Olympic steeplechase semi-final. Reportedly giving up steeplechasing in order to avoid injury. Full-time job-Graphic Designer. In 97: 1 British XC 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 5 Brussels; 7 Durham; 6 Seville; 2 Chiba

GUERRA Paulo POR 21-8-70 5000/10,000 pbs: 13:18.59-95/27:52.44-94. 3000 pb: 7:50.81-96. Started at steeplechase - 8 EJC 3000SC 89. 5 ECH 10,000 94; 1 Iberian 10,000 95; 8 WCH 10,000 95; ht OLY 10,000 96. At WXC: 89-34J, 92-84, 93-21, 94-13, 95-6 (highest placed European of the 1990s), 96-dnf. At EXC: 94-1, 95-1, 96-2. 1 Portuguese XC 95/96/97. In 97: 1 Portuguese XC; 1 European Clubs XC 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 3 Brussels; 1 Seville; 3 Albufeira; 4San Vittore (Standings leader)

ISER BEN Emerson BRA 7-7-73 10,000 pb: 28:41.63-96. Half Mar pb: 61:36-96. Known as "The Brazilian Albino" because of his fair appearance. Mother-German, Father-Italian. 12 WJC 5000 92. 3 South American XC 95. At WXC: 92-70J, 95-180 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 10 Belfast; 15 Amorebieta; 7 Seville; 14 San Vittore

JIFAR Habte ETH 29-1-76 5000/10,000 pbs: 13:25.30-96/28:28.82-95. 2 WJC 5000 94 (4 10,000); 3 African Games 10,000 95. At WXC: 93-7J, 96-17 (team bronze). 1 Ethiopian XC 96. 4 brothers, 1 sister 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 2 Brussels; 3 Amorebieta; 3 San Vittore KARIUKI James KEN 18-1-72 5000/10,000 pbs: 13:18.57-92/28:28.13-95. 1 Brussels 5000 94. At WXC: 93-15, 96-61. Brother of John Ngugi-owns farm in Kenya next to Ngugi's 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 5 Belfast; 8 Tourcoing

KOSGEI Richard KEN 29-12-70 Indoor 5000 pb: 13:28.79-97. 3000SC pb: 8:06.88-95. In 97: 4 Stockholm indoor 5000 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 5 Albufeira; 4 Chiba

MEZEGEBU Ayele ETH 6-1-73 5000 pb: 13:21.21-94. 3000SC pb: 8:32.43-92. 2 WJC 3000SC 92; 4 African Champs 3000SC 93; 3 African Games 10,000 95. Younger brother-AssefaMezegebu. At WXC: 91-13, 93-61, 94-8, 95-21 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 6 Belfast; 8 Amorebieta; 18 Seville

MILLON Yann FRA 26-3-70 10,000 pb: 28:32.94-96. Half Mar pb: 63:05-95. 62 World Half Mar 95. At WXC: 96-42. At EXC: 96-8 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 10 Brussels; 4 Durham; 3 Belfast; 11 Amorebeita; 10 Tourcoing

MOURHIT Mohammed BEL 10-10-70 3000 pb: 7:48.78-91. 5000 pb: 13:29.20-91. Half Mar pb: 61:45-96. =1 Paris 20k 93. Ex-Moroccan (has Belgian wife). Entered for 1996 European XC for Belgium but not cleared in time to compete. 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 11 Brussels; 2 Diekirch

NTAWULIKURA Matthias RWA 14-7-64 5000/10,000 pbs: 13:11.29-92/27:25.48-96. Rwandan 5000/10,000 record holder. 3000/Half Mar pbs: 7:41.64-92/61:46-91. 8 WIC 3000 91; 7 WCH 10,000 91; ht OLY 10,000 92; 10 WCH 5000 93; 15 WCH 10,000 95; 8 OLY 10,000 96. 10 WXC 94. Based-Italy 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 6 Tourcoing; 8 Albufeira; 1 Chiba

NYARIKI Thomas KEN 27-9-71 5000 pb: 12:59.19-96. 3000 pb: 7:27.75-96. 5 OLY 5000 96. Former sprinter. In 97: 5 Kenyan XC 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 1 Albufeira; 10 Nairobi

PEARSON Andrew GBR 14-9-71 5000/10,000 pbs: 13:44.3-93/28:32.0-96. 1500 pb: 3:42.2-91. 1 English Junior XC 91; 1 English Inter-Counties XC 94; 2 English XC 95. Summer of 1995 spoiled by adverse reaction to malaria tablets. At WXC: 89-62J, 90-42J, 93-32, 95-20, 96-51. At EXC: 94-11, 95-3, 96-16. In 97: 5 British XC 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 5 Durham; 13 Amorebieta; 5 Tourcoing; 6 Albufeira

RAMAALA Hendrick RSA 2-2-72 5000/10,000 pbs: 13:24.78-95/27:54.59-95. At WXC: 95-35; 17 WCH 10,000 95; ht OLY 10,000 96. 1 South African 5000/10,000 95. 2 sisters, 4 brothers. Law graduate. In 97: 6 South African XC Trial 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 3 Durham; 4 Belfast; 10 Amorebieta; 14 Seville; 20 San Vittore

STEFKO Robert SVK 28-5-68 5000/10,000 pbs: 13:19.40-95/27:57.42-94. 4 ECH 10,000 94; ht WCH 5000 95/OLY 10,000 96. At WXC: 91-96, 92-61, 93-35, 94-28, 96-58. 1 Czechoslovak 10,000 91/92; 1 Slovak 1500 93/95 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 7 Brussels; 9 Durham; 2 Belfast; 9 Tourcoing; 15 Albufeira; 4 Diekirch

TERGAT Paul KEN 17-6-69 5000/10,000 pbs: 12:54.72-96/26:54.41-96. 3000 pb: 7:28.70-96. 3 WCH 10,000 95; 2 OLY 10,000 96. At WXC: 93-10, 94-4, 95/96-1. 1 Kenyan XC 92/95/96. Ran 58:51 half marathon in 1996, but course short. Air Force corporal. Father of 2. In 97: 4 Kenyan Armed Forces XC; 2 Kenyan XC 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 1 Brussels; 3 Seville; 3 Nairobi

TOLA Girma ETH 1975 At WXC: 95-105, 96-39. 2 Ethiopian XC 96 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 4 Seville; 1 San Vittore

WOLDE Million ETH 1979 3000SC pb: 8:39.2-96. 6 WJC 3000SC 96 (fell in closing stages when heading for a medal). At WXC: 96-8J (team silver). Will not be a senior until 1999 1996/97 IAAF World Cross Challenge: 1 Belfast; 6 Amorebieta; 8 Seville

Biographical data prepared for IAAF by Mark Butler