Olympian Lopez Lomong
Career Highlights: 2009 and 2010 USA Outdoor 1,500m champion; 3rd at 2008 Olympic Trials in 1,500m; 2007 NCAA Outdoor 1,500m champion; 2007 NCAA Indoor 3,000m champion; 3rd at 2007 NCAA Cross Country Championships
Lomong won his first career USA Outdoor title when he finished first in the men’s 1,500 at the 2009 USA Outdoor Championships in 3:41.68. Later that summer he finished eighth in the final at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany. He ended the 2009 season after posting personal bests in both the 1,500m (3:32.94) and mile (3:53.35). The U.S. delegation flag bearer during the opening ceremonies at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Lomong has overcome an overwhelming array of obstacles in becoming a top American middle distance runner. When he was 6 years old, in 1991, his family fled Kimotong, Sudan, on foot to avoid an attack by the militia group, the Janjaweed. Lomong and his family ran for three days in the African wilderness to avoid the attackers. After being separated from his family upon arrival at the Sudan-Kenya border, he lived in a refugee camp run by Catholic missionaries for 10 years. Despite being separated from his family as one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan”, Lomong says he is considered one of the lucky children as thousands of boys drowned, were eaten by wild animals or were shot by military forces. An essay that he wrote in 2001 about what he would strive to accomplish if he lived in America prompted officials to give him that chance. Lomong was moved to the U.S. to live with a foster family in Tully, N.Y., and became one of the 3,800 resettled youngsters known as the “Lost Boys of Sudan.” Lomong became a U.S. citizen in July, 2007, while becoming a star middle distance runner at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. He enjoyed his best year in 2007, winning the NCAA Indoor 3,000m title in upsetting two-time NCAA champion Chris Solinsky in 7:49.74, and taking the NCAA Outdoor men’s 1,500m crown in 3:37.07. He set a personal best and an NAU school record of 1:45.79 in placing fifth in the 800 meters at the 2007 AT&T USA Track and Field Championships, and he was named NCAA Mountain Region Male Track Athlete of the year by the USTFCCCA. Lomong, who turned pro after the 2007 NCAA Cross Country Championships, says his dream is to represent the USA in international competition, his way to thank those who have helped him. "I came to this country without expecting anything," said Lomong to USA TODAY. "Now I want to return the favor by being a good runner." Away from the track, Lomong, who enjoys hip hop music, is studying hotel management because he hopes to return to Africa to help revitalize the continent's tourism. He also wants to assist families confronted with multiple challenges in his home country.
2010: USA Outdoor champion in 1,500m (3:50.83)...6th at Monaco (3:32.20 PR)...7th at Pre Classic in mile (3:53.18 PR).
2009: 1st at USA Outdoors (3:41.68)...8th at World Outdoors (3:37.62)...4th at adidas Track Classic (3:39.21)...7th at Monaco (3:32.94PR)...3rd at London (3:53.35PR)...ranked #2 in U.S. by T&FN...bests of 3:32.94, 3:53.35.
2008: 12th in semifinals at Olympic Games (3:41.00)…3rd at Olympic Trials in 1,500m (3:41.00)…5th at Olympic Trials in 800m (1:45.58)…5th at Nike Prefontaine Classic (3:53.97)…4th at adidas Track Classic (3:36.36PR)…ranked #2 in U.S. by T&FN...bests of 3:36.36 & 3:53.97.
2007: NCAA Outdoor 1,500m champion (3:37.07PR)…NCAA Indoor 3,000m champion (7:49.74)…5th at USA Outdoor Champs (1:45.79PR)…3rd at NCAA D-I Cross Country Champs (29:45)…ranked #3 in U.S. at 1,500m/Mile by T&FN…bests of 1:45.79, 3:37.07.
2006: 4th at NCAA Cross Country Champs (30:59)…best of 1:47.00.
NAU Career Highlights: Lopez was a two-time National Champion (1,500m, Outdoors, 2007; 3,000m., Indoors, 2007), five-time All-American, 12-time Big Sky Conference individual champion and holder of five school records at Northern Arizona. He competed for cross country from 2005-07 and the track and field for the 2006-07 seasons.
Lomong was featured during the 2007-08 academic year in the Arizona Republic, USA Today, The New York Times, HBO Sports, The Today Show, CNN, ESPN and ESPN the Magazine … 2007 Cross Country Season (Junior): Finished third at the NCAA Cross Country Championships … NCAA All-American ... Won every race entered prior to NCAAs...Broke personal records in 8k time at Pre-Nationals and 10k time at Mountain Regionals...Won Mountain Regional for the first time in his career...Became the two-time defending Big Sky champion...Led scoring attack for the men’s team that won the Roy Griak Invitational, NCAA Pre-nationas and Big Sky title…2007 Outdoor Track Season (Sophomore): Finished fifth at AT&T USA Track and Field Championships in 800m (1:45.79 final, 1:46.28 prelim)...Men’s 1500 meters national champion (3:37.07 final, 3:42.00 prelim.) ... NCAA All-American, men’s 1500 meters ... Named NCAA Mountain Region Male Track Athlete of the Year by USTFCCCA ... Men’s 1500 meter West Regional Champion (3:44.18 final, 3:42.02 prelim.) ... Also met NCAA regional qualifying standards in the 800 and 5000 meter events ... Scored 30 points to lead the NAU men’s team to the Big Sky Conference Championship ... Successfully defended his conference titles in the 800 and 1500 meters, before winning the 5000 meters ... Named Big Sky Championship Male Track Athlete of the Meet ... Ran 3:58.54 mile at Sun Angel Classic in Tempe, Ariz., on 4/14/07…2007 Indoor Track Season (Sophomore): Men’s 3000 meters national champion (7:49.74) ... NCAA All-American, men’s 3000 meters ... Named NCAA Mountain Region Male Track Athlete of the Year by USTFCCCA ... Won 800 meters, mile run and 3000 meters at Big Sky Indoor Championships ... Named Big Sky Championship Male Track Athlete of the Meet ... Set school record in mile run ... Set Northern Arizona University and Big Sky Conference records in 800 and 3000 meters ... 3000 meter record was NAU’s longest-standing track and field record (1971), until Lomong broke it in his first race of that distance…2006 Cross Country Season (Sophomore): NCAA All-American ... Fourth-place finish at NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind. ... Second-place finishes at Mountain Region Championships, NCAA Pre-Nationals and Roy Griak Invitational ... Big Sky Conference Individual Champion … 2006 Outdoor Track Season (Freshman) … NCAA All-American, 800 meters ... Fourth-place finish at NCAA Championships, 800 meters ... Set Northern Arizona University and Big Sky Conference record in 800 meters (1:47.00) ... Big Sky Conference Champion, 800 meters ... Big Sky Conference Champion, 1500 meters … 2006 Indoor Track Season (Freshman) … Big Sky Conference Champion, 800 meters ... Big Sky Conference Champion, mile run … 2005 Cross Country Season (Freshman) … Member of the Big Sky Champion Northern Arizona University team ... Won Aztec Invite, hosted by San Diego State University in 25:43 .. 2004-05 Year … Attended Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Va., but did not compete for the university … Personal … Born January 1, 1985, in Kimotong, Sudan ... Moved to United States at age of 16, when he was adopted by Robert and Barbara Rogers, of Tully, N.Y. ... Attended Tully High School, graduating in 2004 ... Majoring in hotel and restaurant management.
