Dominic Ondoro

Last updated
Dominic Ondoro
Personal information
Birth nameDominic Pius Ondoro
NationalityKenyan
Born (1988-03-03) March 3, 1988 (age 36)
Sport
CountryKenya
Sport Athletics
Event Marathon
Coached byYobes Ondieki
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)8,000: 22:33

10,000 m: 28:04
12,000 m: 35:41
10 mile: 47:05
Half marathon: 1:01:45

Contents

Marathon: 2:08:00

Dominic Ondoro (born March 3, 1988, also known as Pius Dominic Ondoro) is a Kenyan long-distance runner best known for holding the course records at Minnesota's Grandma's Marathon and the Twin Cities Marathon. He has won many other major marathons, some multiple times, such as the 2017 and 2023 Houston Marathon in Texas, [1] his two Melbourne Marathon wins in Australia and his unrivaled four Twin Cities Marathon wins in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Running career

At the IAAF-labeled Houston Marathon in 2017, Ondoro ran most of the race with a large group that included Ethiopian Olympians Yitayal Atnafu and Abayneh Ayele. The race had been won by Ethiopians in the previous eight years, but Ondoro sped up in the last two miles to win the race in 2:12:05. [2]

Ondoro finished second at the Stockholm Marathon in 2011 in 2:14:23. [3] The same year, he won the Helsinki City Marathon at age 23. He finished in 2:23:24. [4] In 2012, he finished ninth in the Mumbai Marathon in 2:14:56. [5]

Later in 2012, Ondoro raced the Great Bristol Half Marathon, winning the competitive race in 1:02:51. [6]

His personal best time in a marathon was at the Tiberias Marathon in 2013. The race takes place near the Sea of Galilee in Israel. Ondoro was crowned the victor after he finished just seconds ahead of Deribe Melka and Francis Kibiwott Larabal and crossed the finish line in 2:08:00. [7]

In 2013, at the Lille Half Marathon in Lille, France, Ondoro finished sixth in his best-ever half marathon race, coming in at 1:01:32, a few seconds behind Abraham Cheroben. [8]

In 2014, he became the new course record holder at Grandma's Marathon, which runs from Two Harbors to Duluth, Minnesota, by winning in a time of 2:09:06. The former record was held for 33 years by Dick Beardsley (former winner of the London Marathon). [9] "I've been honored to hold the record for that long, but now it's time to pass it on," Beardsley said after being one of the first people to congratulate Ondoro for his victory. [10]

He returned in 2015 and finished in 2:11:17. It was enough for second place, behind his training partner Elisha Barno, who won in 2:10:38. [11]

Ondoro won the Melbourne Marathon in back-to-back years: 2013 and 2014. [12]

In 2015, he beat out 40,000 other runners to win the Cooper River Bridge Run, a 10K run in South Carolina that is the fifth-largest road race in the United States. [13] With a strong headwind, he finished first in 29:22. In 2016, against 36,000 competitors, he won again, finishing in 29:00. The prize each year was $10,000. [14]

In 2016 and 2017, he was the back-to-back champion of the Azalea Trail Run in Mobile, Alabama (a 10K run) with times of 28:25 and 28:04, respectively.

In May 2016, Ondoro finished third at the Ottawa Marathon in 2:11:39 behind Ethiopians Dino Sefir and Shura Kitata. [15]

Ondoro broke another longstanding course record in 2016 at the Twin Cities Marathon. Phil Coppess had set the record in 1985, when he ran the course in 2:10:05, one of the fastest American marathons of all time. The record stood for 31 years. [16] But in the late October morning, Ondoro outran his competition and finished in 2:08:51, taking home $35,000. It was the fastest marathon ever run in Minnesota. Both he and second-place winner Elisha Barno ran faster than the winning time at the 2016 Chicago Marathon.

The record-breaking year wasn't the first or last time he would break the tape in the Midwestern race. Ondoro has won the Twin Cities race, which runs from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to St. Paul, four times: 2015, [17] 2016, [18] 2017, [19] and 2019. [20] He didn't compete in 2018. [21]

He won the 2022 Grandma's Marathon in near course-record time. On November 20, 2022, in the cold and wind, he won the Philadelphia Marathon. [22]

He started 2023 by winning the Houston Marathon.

Early and personal life

Ondoro was born in Kenya and lives in Uasin Gishu County, where many elite marathoners train. He and Elisha Barno, another elite marathon runner, train together in Eldoret, Kenya, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. They have been coached by Kenyan World Championship gold medalist Yobes Ondieki. In 2016, they were represented by agent Scott Robinson. Barno and Ondoro are good friends and both own home construction companies in Kenya. Ondoro has three children. [23] [24]

Achievements

YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
2011 Helsinki City Marathon Helsinki, Finland 1stMarathon2:23:24
2012 Great Bristol Half Marathon Bristol, England 1stHalf Marathon1:02:51
2013 Tiberias Marathon Tiberias, Israel 1stMarathon2:08:00
2013Pedestres d'Arras 10K [25] Arras, France 1st10K28:26
2013 Melbourne Marathon Melbourne, Australia 1stMarathon2:10:47
2014 Grandma's Marathon Twin Ports in Minnesota 1stMarathon2:09:06
2014 Melbourne Marathon Melbourne, Australia 1stMarathon2:11:30
2015 Cooper River Bridge Run Charleston, South Carolina 1st10K29:22
2015 Twin Cities Marathon Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota 1stMarathon2:11:16
2016 Azalea Trail Run Mobile, Alabama 1st10K28:25
2016 Cooper River Bridge Run Charleston, South Carolina 1st10K29:00
2016 Twin Cities Marathon Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota 1stMarathon2:08:51
2017 Houston Marathon Houston, Texas 1stMarathon2:12:05
2017 Azalea Trail Run Mobile, Alabama 1st10K28:04
2017 Twin Cities Marathon Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota 1stMarathon2:11:54
2019 Twin Cities Marathon Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota 1stMarathon2:12:24
2022 Grandma's Marathon Duluth, Minnesota 1stMarathon2:09:34
2022 Philadelphia Marathon Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1stMarathon2:14:20
2023 Houston Marathon Houston, Texas 1stMarathon2:10:36

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twin Cities Marathon</span> Annual footrace

The Twin Cities Marathon is a marathon in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area which normally takes place the first weekend in October. The race is often called "The Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America" due to a course that winds through downtown districts, then along parkways that hug lakes and waterways all throughout dense urban forests in the neighborhoods of both cities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grandma's Marathon</span> Iconic American road race

Grandma's Marathon (Grandma's) is an annual road race held each June in Duluth, Minnesota, in the United States. The course runs point-to-point from the city of Two Harbors on Scenic Route 61 and continues along Lake Superior into the city of Duluth. The finish is located in Canal Park, near Grandma's Restaurant, which is next to the highly visible Aerial Lift Bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bazu Worku</span> Ethiopian long-distance runner

Bazu Worku is a long-distance runner from Ethiopia who competes in marathon races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bizunesh Deba</span> Ethiopian long-distance runner

Bizunesh Deba, also known as Buzunesh Deba, is a Bronx-based Ethiopian long-distance runner. Her personal best for the marathon is 2:19:59, set during the Boston Marathon in 2014, which she won, though in a recent interviews it was confirmed she was never paid the winner's prize money for her first place finish nor the prize money for setting the women's course record.

The 2019 Los Angeles Marathon, the 34th annual edition of the Los Angeles Marathon, was held in Los Angeles, California, United States on March 24, 2019. The men's race was won by Kenya's Elisha Barno, and the women's race was won by Ethiopia's Askale Merachi in a course record time. The race is the fourth-largest marathon in the U.S. with 19,992 finishers. The last finisher crossed the finish line 8:43:03 after the 6:55 a.m. start.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elisha Barno</span> Kenyan marathon runner

Elisha Kiprop Barno is a Kenyan marathon runner. Barno is the most prolific runner in Grandma's Marathon history, winning the race five times 2015 to 2018 and again in 2023. He has won several marathons during his career, including the Los Angeles Marathon, the Jacksonville Marathon, and the California International Marathon.

Boniface Kongin is a marathon runner from Iten, Kenya. Born March 16, 1990, Kongin grew up in an era that saw distance running records continually set by runners from Kenya and Ethiopia. He became a strong distance runner and placed high in several marathons before taking first place in the Pittsburgh Marathon in 2019. He then ran Grandma's Marathon in June and beat out four-time champion Elisha Barno and course record holder Dominic Ondoro while finishing with a time of 2:11:56. Then he proceeded to finish first in the Montreal Marathon in 2:15:18.

Jane Kibii is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in marathon races and other road running events. She is from Moiben. Kibii has won the California International Marathon, the Twin Cities Marathon (twice), and Grandma's Marathon along with several other top 10 finishes in major marathons. Kibii has also won several competitive half marathons, and dominated fast "SacTown" 10 mile race in Sacramento, California. Her lifetime prize winnings total more than $100,000.

Andrew Musuva is a Kenyan long distance runner and three-time winner of the Twin Cities Marathon.

Joel Onwonga is a Kenyan long distance runner, best known for winning the 1996 Twin Cities Marathon in 2:13:13.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mykola Antonenko</span> Ukrainian runner

Mykola Antonenko is a Ukrainian middle- and long-distance runner, and Ukrainian national champion in the 10K. He is the winner of multiple notable road races and a top finisher in major international races.

Phil Coppess is an American former long-distance runner. Coppess went to high school in Oxford Junction, Iowa where he was a standout runner. Coppess won the State Boy's Outdoor Track & Field 2 mile run in 1971; he won the State Cross Country in 1971; the State Cross Country Individual Mile in 1971; the State Boy's Indoor Track & Field 2 mile run in 1972; and the State Boy's Outdoor Track & Field 2 mile run in 1972.

David Kimani Mungai is a Kenyan mid- and long-distance runner.

Sally Brent is an American long-distance running athlete who broke barriers for female runners in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Brent was the winner of the inaugural Twin Cities Marathon in 1982, running the race in 2:43:50. Only a few other American women had breached the 2:45:00 mark in 1982, and just seven years earlier, it had been the woman's world record.

Christopher Kipyego is a runner from Kenya who has won multiple major marathon races, including the Mexico City Marathon in 2006 with a time of 2:17:23.

Serkalem Biset Abrha, also known as Abrha Serkalem Biset, is a runner from Ethiopia who competes in long distance running and has won several major international marathons.

Sammy Malakwen is a middle- and long-distance runner from Kenya who also trained in Two Harbors, Minnesota. He has won several major marathons, and has finished in the top 10 of several major road races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Kiptoo Cheriwoi</span> Kenyan-born long distance runner

Sarah Kiptoo Cheriwoi is a Kenyan-born long-distance runner who is the winner of the 2014 Casablanca International Marathon as well as the 2013 and 2016 Grandma's Marathon, the 2017 Philadelphia Marathon and several other American road races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dakotah Lindwurm</span> American runner

Dakotah Marie Lindwurm is a professional long-distance runner who qualified to represent the United States in the Women's Marathon at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. Lindwurm gained notoriety after winning back-to-back victories at Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota in 2021 and 2022. Her victory in 2022 made her the 12th fastest U.S. women's marathoner of all time. She is known for her characteristic smile while racing. In 2022, she signed a sponsorship deal with Puma.

Yihunlish Delelecha is an Ethiopian-American distance runner who was a member of the 1998 World Athletics Cross Country Championship silver medal-winning team for Ethiopia.

References

  1. ↑ "Ondoro, Assefa claim Houston Marathon Titles". New York, New York: Sports Illustrated. 15 January 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  2. ↑ "DAssefa and Ondoro claim marathon titles, while Nyaruai and Korir take half-marathon crowns in Houston". Monaco: World Athletics. 15 January 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  3. ↑ "Asics Stockholm Marathon 2011" (in Swedish). 28 March 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  4. ↑ "ARRS - Runner: Dominic Ondoro". Association of Road Racing Statisticians. ARRS. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  5. ↑ Hugh Jones (ed.). "January 2012 Results". aims-worldrunning.org. Athens, Greece: Association of International Marathons and Road Races. AIMS Home. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  6. ↑ "Leading Edge: Fernando Cabada". 30 September 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  7. ↑ Hugh Jones (ed.). "January 2013 Results". aims-worldrunning.org. Athens, Greece: Association of International Marathons and Road Races. AIMS Home. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  8. ↑ Larner, Brett (1 September 2013). "Kipruto and Chepkemoi Take 2013 Lille Half Marathon Titles". Tokyo, Japan: Japan Running News. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  9. ↑ Chelsie Brown (21 June 2019). Chelsie Brown (ed.). Record-Breaking Decade of Runs For Grandma's Races (Television broadcast). Duluth, Minnesota: WDIO-TV. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  10. ↑ Carrie Tollefson (25 June 2014). Tim Bornholdt (ed.). Grandma's Marathon 2014 (video). Minneapolis, Minnesota: C Tolle Run. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  11. ↑ Kevin Bilodeau, ed. (28 September 2015). "Grandma's Marathon" (PDF). Vol. 14, no. 57. eTrack Newsletter. Track and Field News.
  12. ↑ "Dominic Ondoro". Chevron Houston Marathon. 23 February 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  13. ↑ Kevin Bilodeau, ed. (28 March 2015). "Dominic Ondoro wins 2015 Cooper River Bridge Run". Charleston, South Carolina: WCSC-TV. Gray Television.
  14. ↑ Justin Biegel (2 April 2016). Kevin Bilodeau (ed.). Dominic Ondoro wins 39th Cooper River Bridge Run (Television broadcast). Charleston, South Carolina: WCSC-TV. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  15. ↑ Holder, Gord (29 May 2016). "Race Weekend: Ethiopia's Dino Sefir and Koren Jelela win Ottawa Marathon". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Canada. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  16. ↑ Barker, Sarah (13 October 2016). "Dominic Ondoro's Twin Cities Marathon Win Broke A 31-Year-Old Record". New York, New York: Deadspin. G/O Media. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  17. ↑ Briggs, Seekins (4 October 2015). "Twin Cities Marathon 2015 Results: Men's and Women's Top Finishers". San Francisco, California: Bleacher Report. Turner Broadcasting Systems. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  18. ↑ "Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon 2016 Results Book". St. Paul, Minnesota: Twin Cities in Motion. October 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  19. ↑ "Thousands of Runners Compete in Twin Cities Marathon". St. Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Public Radio. KNOW. 1 October 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  20. ↑ "Kenyan nabs unprecedented fourth victory in Twin Cities Marathon". Twincities.com. St. Paul, Minnesota: Pioneer Press. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  21. ↑ Blount, Rachel (8 October 2018). "TC Marathon winner Barno makes it a double; Biyadgilgn wins women's title". Minneapolis, Minnesota: Star Tribune. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  22. ↑ Hendrickson, Beccah (20 November 2022). "Runners battle cold, wind during Philadelphia Marathon". WPVI-TV. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 6 Action News. ABC. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  23. ↑ Barker, Sarah (13 October 2016). "Dominic Ondoro's Twin Cities Marathon Win Broke A 31-Year-Old Record". New York, New York: Deadspin. G/O Media. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  24. ↑ Gonzalez, Jason (10 October 2016). "Twin Cities Marathon champ sets course record". Minneapolis, Minnesota: Star Tribune. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  25. ↑ "Courses Pédestres d'Arras 10 km" . Retrieved 1 May 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.