Paul Ereng

Paul Ereng was a promising 400 metre runner until the end of 1987. After enrolling at the University of Virginia, Ereng took up the 800 m in early 1988. He was undefeated during the USA outdoor season in early 1988 and won the NCAA 800 m title in 1988, repeating that victory in 1989. At the Kenyan Olympic trials, however, Ereng barely made the Olympic team, finishing third. Despite his rapid development, Ereng was not considered as a potential medalist when he arrived in Seoul. In the Olympic final he was fourth as they entered the straight, but then surged past the three runners in front of him to win gold. At the World Indoor Championships in Budapest in 1989 Ereng produced a devastating finish to win the gold in a world indoor record of 1:44.84, retaining that title in 1991 at Seville, but was only fourth at the World Championships. Ereng never posed a serious threat in major international championships after that and was eliminated in the semi-finals at the 1992 Olympics. Ereng graduated from Virginia in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in religious studies with a minor in sociology and currently works as an athletics coach at the University of Texas at El Paso.

Personal Bests: 400 – 45.6 (1987); 800 – 1:43.16 (1989).