Leonard Barsoton
Kenyan long-distance runner
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leonard Kiplimo Barsoton (born 21 October 1994) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes mainly in cross country running and track events. He has represented his country twice at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships and was a silver medallist over 10,000 metres at the African Games.
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Barsoton nearing halfway point in 2021 Boston Marathon where he got 5th place | ||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's athletics | ||
Representing  Kenya | ||
| African Games | ||
 | 2015 Brazzaville | 10,000 m |
| IAAF World Cross Country Championships | ||
| 2015 Guiyang | Senior team |
| African Cross Country Championships | ||
 | 2014 Kampala | Senior race |
| 2014 Kampala | Senior team |
Career
After starting his career based in Japan,[1] Barsoton emerged as a junior athlete in 2013 by placing second to Ronald Kwemoi at the national cross country trials.[2] He was chosen for the junior team at the 2013 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and claimed the silver medal in both the individual and team races, having finished adrift of the comfortable favourite Hagos Gebrhiwet.[3] After a runner-up finish behind Bedan Karoki at the Kenyan Cross Country Championships,[4] he led Kenya to a sweep of the medals at the 2014 African Cross Country Championships, winning the race with his teammates Kipruto Kangogo, Rono Cherop and Solomon Kirwa Yego completing the top four.[5] He also proved himself on the track that year with a 10,000 metres best of 27:20.74 minutes, ending the year fifth on the world rankings.[6]
Barsoton established himself as a senior level runner in the 2015 season. Following his third place at the Kenyan Championships, he finished fifth at the 2015 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, helping the Kenyan men to a team silver.[7] On the outdoor track he took a 10,000 m silver at the 2015 African Games, beaten by Ethiopia's Tsebelu Zewude.[8] He failed to build on this in the 2016, not making any national teams, and ranked just outside the world's top 30 for the 10,000 m for season.[9]
He became national champion at the 2017 Kenyan Cross Country Championships.[10]
Personal bests
- 3000 metres – 8:07.1 min (2011)
- 5000 metres – 13:16.25 min (2015)
- 10,000 metres – 27:20.74 min (2014)
- 10K run – 27:42 min (2016)
All information from All-Athletics profile[11]
International competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | World Cross Country Championships | Bydgoszcz, Poland | 2nd | Junior race | 21:08 |
| 2nd | Junior team | 26 pts | |||
| 2014 | African Cross Country Championships | Kampala, Uganda | 1st | Senior race | 34:26.12 |
| 1st | Senior team | 10 pts | |||
| 2015 | World Cross Country Championships | Guiyang, China | 5th | Senior race | 35:24 |
| 2nd | Senior team | 20 pts | |||
| African Games | Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo | 2nd | 10,000 m | 27:27.55 |
National titles
- Kenyan Cross Country Championships
- Senior race: 2017
