Lopez Lomong (born January 5, 1985) is a

South Sudan South Sudan (), officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered on the north by Sudan; on the east by Ethiopia; on the south by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Kenya; and on the ...

ese-born

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

track and field Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...

athlete. Lomong, one of the

Lost Boys of Sudan The Lost Boys of Sudan refers to a group of over 20,000 boys of the Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups who were displaced or orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War (1983–2005). Two million were killed and others were severely affected by the ...

, came to the United States at the age of 16 and became a U.S. citizen in 2007. Lomong qualified for the

2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...

in the 1500 meters at the United States Olympic track and field trials in

Eugene, Oregon Eugene ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lane County, Oregon, United States. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie River (Oregon), McKenzie and Willamette River, Willamette rivers, ...

. He was the flag bearer for the United States during the 2008 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony. He is currently a member of Team Darfur, a group of athletes urging

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

to exert pressure on the Sudanese government to address the

War in Darfur The War in Darfur, also nicknamed the Land Cruiser War, was a major armed conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan that began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army, Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equalit ...

. Lomong's autobiography, ''Running for My Life'', was published in 2012, co-written with Mark Tabb.

Biography

Lopez Lomong was born Lopepe Lomong in Kimotong, an ethnic Buya village in

Budi County Budi County is an administrative area of Eastern Equatoria state in South Sudan, with headquarters in Chukudum. Location Budi county is derived from two ethnic groups who inhabit the area (Buya and Didinga). It is located in Eastern Equatoria St ...

, Namorunyang State,

to Awei Lomong and Rita Namana.Lomong, Lopez, and Mark Tabb. 2012. ''Running for My Life: One Lost Boy's Journey from the Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Games''. Thomas Nelson. Lomong's actual birthdate is January 5, 1985, but like all Lost Boys who came to the United States without paperwork, his official birthday is listed as January 1.Olympian Lopez Lomong Still Dreaming Big
Si.com, January 6, 2009 Lopez Lomong and his family belong to the Buya (also spelled ''Boya'') ethnic group of southeastern

, who speak the

Laarim language Laarim (Larim, Longarim) or Narim is a Surmic language spoken by the Laarim people of the Laarim Hills of South Sudan. Distribution According to ''Ethnologue'', Laarim is spoken in 10 villages of northern Budi County, Eastern Equatoria State. Sti ...

. Lomong was a victim of the

Second Sudanese Civil War The Second Sudanese Civil War was a conflict from 1983 to 2005 between the central Sudanese government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement, Sudan People's Liberation Army. It was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil Wa ...

. A Catholic, he was abducted at age six while attending Catholic Mass and assumed dead by his family and buried in absentia. He nearly died in captivity, but was helped to escape by others from his village. The four of them ran for three days until they crossed the border into

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

. Lomong spent ten years in the

Kakuma Kakuma is a town in northwestern Turkana County, Kenya. It is the site of a UNHCR Kakuma Refugee Camp, refugee camp, established in 1992. The population of Kakuma town was 60,000 in 2014, having grown from around 8,000 in 1990. In 1991, the camp ...

refugee camp A refugee camp is a temporary Human settlement, settlement built to receive refugees and people in refugee-like situations. Refugee camps usually accommodate displaced people who have fled their home country, but camps are also made for in ...

Turkana County Turkana County is a county in the former Rift Valley Province of Kenya. It is home to the Turkana people. It is Kenya's largest county by land area of 77,597.8 km2 followed by Marsabit County with an area of 66,923.1 km2. It is bord ...

, northeastern Kenya before being moved to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

through the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor program by Toomey Residential and Community Services. His name "Lopez" was a nickname from the refugee camp that he later adopted officially. He was inspired to become a runner after watching Michael Johnson at the

2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, officially branded as Sydney 2000, and also known as the Games of the New Millennium, were an international multi-sport event held from 15 September to 1 October ...

on television. Lomong is one of the

. He was resettled in the United States in 2001 through the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor program with Robert and Barbara Rogers, in

New York State New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...

. The Rogers have since gone on to help many other

Sudanese refugees Sudanese refugees are people originating from the country of Sudan, seeking refuge outside the borders of their native country. In recent history, Sudan has been the stage for prolonged conflicts and civil wars, as well as environmental changes, ...

. Lomong attended Tully High School in Tully, NY, entering at a 10th grade level. In high school, he helped lead the cross country and track teams to sectional and state titles, and after briefly attending

Norfolk State University Norfolk State University (NSU) is a Public university, public Historically black colleges and universities, historically black university in Norfolk, Virginia. It is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Virginia High-Tech Partnersh ...

, later competed for

Northern Arizona University Northern Arizona University (NAU) is a public research university based in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1899, it was the third and final university established in the Arizona Territory. It is one of the three universities gove ...

. In 2007, Lomong was the division I

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

indoor champion at 3000 meters and the outdoor champion at 1500 meters while competing for Northern Arizona. He became a

naturalized citizen of the United States Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constit ...

on July 6, 2007. Although he originally assumed his parents had been killed by the

Sudan People's Liberation Army The South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF), formerly the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), is the military force of South Sudan. The SPLA was founded as a guerrilla movement against the government of Sudan in 1983 and was a key parti ...

, he was reunited with his mother and family, who now live outside

Nairobi Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...

, in 2003. He first returned to his native village of Kimotong in December 2006. He returned to Sudan again in 2008 with an organization called

Sudan Sunrise Sudan Sunrise, Inc. is an American nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based out of Fairfax, Virginia. According to their mission statement, Sudan Sunrise strives for grassroots reconciliation, education and community building in order to lift up e ...

to begin construction of the Lopez Lomong School and Reconciliation Church. In early 2009 he traveled back to bring his younger brothers, Alex and Peter, back to the United States to attend school at

Fork Union Military Academy Fork Union Military Academy (abbreviated as FUMA) is a private school, private, all-male, college preparatory Christian school, Christian Military school, military boarding school located in Fork Union, Virginia. Founded in 1898, Fork Union is co ...

. Following in the footsteps of their elder brother Lopez, Peter Lomong ran for

, while Alex Lomong ran for

Ohio State University The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one ...

2008 Summer Olympics

Lomong qualified for the US Olympic Team on July 6, 2008, one year after gaining his US citizenship. "Now I'm not just one of the 'Lost Boys,'" he told reporters. "I'm an American." After his success at the collegiate level, Lopez signed a contract with Nike and began competing professionally. He specializes in the 1500m run but is a serious contender in every mid-distance race from 800m up to and including the 5k. Lopez finished 5th in the 800m finals during the 2008 US Olympic Trials, which he ran as part of his training for the 1500m. Lomong was chosen by the team captains of the US Olympic team to carry the US flag in the Opening Ceremony at the 2008 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony. The U.S. Olympic team captains said that Lomong deserved the honor of flagbearer because he was so proud of his citizenship. Lopez is a member of Team Darfur. In the weeks leading up to the Olympics Lomong spoke often about the need to raise awareness for the violence in Darfur. Since his selection as flagbearer he has been careful not to criticize China directly, choosing instead to focus on the inspirational side of his story. "I'm here to compete for my country," Lomong told reporters when they asked questions about human rights. "The Olympics are supposed to bring people together to peacefully blend and I'm looking forward to that and stepping on the track and wearing my colors and representing my country." With reference to China specifically, Lomong answered "Chinese people have been great putting all these things together. It's great being here." He was eliminated in the semifinals of the 1500 at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

2009 USA Champion

Lomong won his first national title when he finished first in the 1500 at the 2009 USA Outdoor Championships in 3:41.68. That summer he also finished eighth in the final at the World Athletics Championships. He ran a career best of 3:32.94 that year in the 1500.

2010 USA Champion

In June 2010, Lomong repeated as men's champion by winning the 1500 at the 2010 USA Outdoor Championships in a highly tactical race. He ran the final 400 meters of that race in 51.29 seconds. Later in the summer of 2010, Lomong lowered his personal best at 1500 meters down to 3:32.20 at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco.

2012

On April 29, 2012, Lomong raced his first ever 5000m at the Payton Jordan Invitational. Despite miscalculating his laps and thinking he had finished when he actually had one lap left, he set a 2012 World Leading time of 13:11.63. Lomong continued his success at the 2012 US Olympic Track & Field Trials. He secured a slot for the 5000m finals after winning his preliminary heat in 13:42.81, just ahead of American record holder Bernard Lagat (13:42.83).U.S. Olympic Team Trials Men's Events
usatf.org In the finals, he placed 3rd behind winner Galen Rupp and runner up Bernard Lagat to secure a spot on his second Olympic team.
London Olympics
On August 8, 2012, Lomong placed 4th in his preliminary heat to qualify for the 5000m finals. In the final, which took place on August 11, 2012, he finished in 10th place. Lomong was part of a strong American performance, with fellow countrymen Bernard Lagat and Galen Rupp placing 4th and 7th, respectively.

2013

Lomong participated in the NYRR Men's Wanamaker Mile at the 2013 Millrose Games. He won the race in a personal best time of 3:51.21, just ahead of Matthew Centrowitz, a decorated 1500m man. Lomong's time beat the previous Armory track record of 3:53.92 which had just been set in 2012 by Centrowitz as well as the Millrose record of 3:52.87 set by Bernard Lagat. Lomong surpassed the previous indoor 5000m American Record held by Bernard Lagat at the Armory's last chance meet with a time of 13:07.00.

2014

Lomong won the 1500 metres in 3:43.09 at the

USA Indoor Track and Field Championships The USA Indoor Track and Field Championships is an annual indoor track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field, which serves as the American national championships for the sport. In years which feature a World Indoor Championships i ...

at the

Albuquerque Convention Center Albuquerque Convention Center is a multipurpose convention center, convention and performing arts center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is New Mexico's largest convention center. The convention center hosts the Albuquerque comic book convention, ...

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

. Lomong finished 18th in the 1500 meters on March 7, 2014 at the

2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships The 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics was the fifteenth edition of the international indoor track and field competition, organised by the IAAF. The event was held between 7–9 March 2014 at the Ergo Arena in Sopot, Poland. Prepar ...

. Lopez finished 3rd running 3:39.11 at

USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships The USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships is an annual track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field, which serves as the American national championships for the sport. Since the year 1992, in the years which feature a Summer Oly ...

Sacramento, California Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat, seat of Sacramento County, California, Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento Rive ...

on June 28.

2015

On March 1, Lomong finished 8th in the mile at USATF Indoor Championships hosted at the Reggie Lewis Center,

Boston, MA Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. In June, Lomong finished 6th in 13:53.64 in 5000 meter at USATF Outdoor Championships hosted at

Hayward Field Hayward Field is a track and field stadium in the Northwestern United States, located on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. It has been the home of the university's track and field teams since 1921, and was the on-campu ...

. On August 8, Lomong won the 5000 meter NACAC 2015 Senior Championships hosted at Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica.

2017

In May 2017 Lomong served as a pacer for Nike's

Breaking2 Breaking2 was a project by Nike to break the two-hour barrier for the marathon. Nike announced the project in November 2016 and organized a team of three elite runners who trained for a private race. The event was held on the Formula One race tr ...

attempt at achieving a sub-2-hour marathon time.

2018

In June, Lomong won the USATF Outdoor Championship in the

10,000 metres The 10,000 metres or the 10,000-metre run is a common long-distance track running event. The event is part of the athletics programme at the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships, and is common at championship-level events. The ...

at Drake Stadium,

Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...

. On July 4, Lopez Lomong placed 5th in 28:59 at 2018

Peachtree Road Race The Peachtree Road Race (branded AJC Peachtree Road Race for sponsorship reasons) is a series of two 10-kilometer runs held annually in Atlanta, once during the first weekend of January and the other on Independence Day. They are held on the sa ...

. On August 3, Lomong won 2018

Sir Walter Miler The Sir Walter Miler is an outdoor mile run, one mile race held annually at Meredith College in Raleigh North Carolina, typically the first Friday in August. The race is named after Sir Walter Raleigh. It is directed and promoted by Sir Walter Ru ...

in 3:53.86 in the same race

John Gregorek Jr. Johnny Gregorek Jr. (born December 7, 1991) is an American middle-distance runner. He competed in the 2017 World Championships in the 1500, where he placed 10th in a time of 3:37.56. As of May 2020, Gregorek holds the world record for the fast ...

, Sam Prakel, Patrick Casey,

Ben Blankenship Ben Blankenship (born December 15, 1988) is an American middle distance runner. He is a world record holder as a member of the 2015 USA Distance medley relay team, of which he ran the 1600-meter anchor leg. Running career Elementary school Bl ...

Craig Engels Craig Engels (born May 1, 1994) is an American middle-distance running, middle-distance runner. He competed for the United States at the 2013 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships, where he won the men's 1500 meters. In the 2016 United St ...

, Sean McGorty,

Hassan Mead Hassan Mead (Somali language, Somali: ''Xassan Miicaad'', ; born June 28, 1989) is a Somali-American long-distance runner. He was a Cross country running, cross country and Track and field, track athlete for the University of Minnesota. An eigh ...

Charlie Marquardt Charlie may refer to: Film and television * ''Charlie'' (2015 Malayalam film), an Indian Malayalam-language film * ''Charlie'' (2015 Kannada film), an Indian Kannada-language film * ''Charlie'' (TV series), a 2015 political drama series based ...

, Robert Domanic,

Graham Crawford Graham Andrew Crawford (born 16 October 1967) is a former English cricketer. Crawford was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm off break. He was born in Windlesham, Surrey. Crawford represented the Surrey Cricket Board in 2 List A cr ...

, Jacob Thomson, Cristian Soratos ran under 4:00.

2019

Lomong repeated as

national champion at the 2019 USATF Outdoor Championship. He finished first in the

5000 metres The 5000 metres or 5000-metre run is a common long-distance running event in track and field, approximately equivalent to or . It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics, run over laps of a sta ...

as well, becoming the first to double in the two national championship events since 2012.

References

External links

* * * * * *
Interview with Lopez Lomong
at

ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lomong, Lopez 1985 births Living people American male middle-distance runners South Sudanese male middle-distance runners South Sudanese emigrants to the United States South Sudanese Roman Catholics Lost Boys of Sudan Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics Olympic track and field athletes for the United States Northern Arizona Lumberjacks men's track and field athletes People from Tully, New York Sportspeople from Onondaga County, New York USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners South Sudanese refugees Refugees in Kenya People from Eastern Equatoria Track and field athletes from New York (state) NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships winners 21st-century American sportsmen