Background
He was born in 1981 in Cheplanget, near Sotik town, Buret District.
He was born in 1981 in Cheplanget, near Sotik town, Buret District.
He graduated from Cheplanget Secondary School in 1999.
His personal best of 7:54.31 minutes is the third fastest of all-time. He did well at the National Cross Country Championships and was subsequently invited to compete in Europe and joined a team managed by James Templeton. Despite being among the fastest steeplechasers, he has failed several times at the Kenyan trials for World championships or Olympics.
He has had success in cross country running, with wins at the Cinque Mulini (2006) and the Iris Lotto Cross Cup (2007) to his name.
He holds the steeplechase meet record for the Prefontaine Classic, Adidas Grand Prix, and DN Galan. He has built a primary school near his home.
Koech is married and has a daughter born in 2004 and a younger son. In February 2010 he set a world best of 5:17.04 in the rarely competed 2000 m indoor steeplechase.
He improved his indoor 2000 m steeplechase record to 5:13.77 at the Indoor Flanders Meeting in February 2011.
At the Rome Diamond League event in May Koech set a new personal best of 7:54.31, the third fastest time ever for the 3000 metre steeplechase. Despite this performance, he did not perform well in the altitude of the Kenyan Olympic trials and finished outside of the top five. Personal bests 1500 metres – 3:37.92 (2007).