Jonah Koech Finds His Stride After a Decade of Chasing

Jonah Koech has had a most excellent week of racing! First, a big 1,500m win in Rabat, then, an 800m win in Nairobi, both personal bests. We asked Deji Ogeyinbgo to write about Jonah and tell us more this talented athletes. Remember, no one is an overnight success, it always takes years of trials and trials of miles, to paraphrase John Parker in cult classic, Once a Runner. 

Jonah Koech Finds His Stride After a Decade of Chasing

In elite track and field, the idea of “making it” is often associated with early promise and instant delivery. Athletes burst onto the scene, ride a wave of success, and carve out careers in a matter of seasons. But Jonah Koech has done it differently. His recent wins in the 1500m and 800m has taken more than a decade, and this past Saturday in Nairobi, he finally ran like a man who knew his time had come.

Koech, now 28, won the 800 meters at the Kip Keino Classic in 1:43.32, defeating a strong Kenyan field on their home turf. It was a career-best time and his first major victory at a World Continental Tour Gold meet. The win, coupled with his 3:31.43 surprise victory in the 1500 meters at the Rabat Diamond League a week earlier, has turned Koech from a quiet name on entry lists into a serious contender ahead of this September’s World Championships in Tokyo.

For most athletes, this would be a breakout season. For Koech, it’s the product of long, unglamorous years, some marred by injury, others lost in obscurity, spread across three countries and two running distances.

Born and raised in Kenya, Koech first caught attention in 2014 when he ran 1:47.99 as a teenager. He moved to the U.S. for college, starting at UTEP where he placed 11th at the 2015 NCAA Cross Country Championships as a freshman. It was a strong showing that hinted at a possible future in the 1500 meters. Yet his career never settled. He transferred to Texas Tech, focused more on the 800, and eventually joined the U.S. Army, earning citizenship in 2019.

He quietly clocked decent times over the years, 1:46s, a 3:40 here and there, but never truly broke through. His best NCAA track finishes were two sixth-place efforts. For a long time, he was the sort of runner who made finals but didn’t shake up the order.

Then came 2022. He made the U.S. team for the World Championships in Eugene by running 1:44.74 at the national trials, but was disqualified in the heats for a lane violation. That sting stuck with him. And after an injury kept him sidelined in 2023, the…