Career
Rono ranked second fastest in the world in 1980 with a time of 8:12.0 minutes, but missed the 1980 Summer Olympics due to the boycott. He was a bronze medallist at both the and All-Africa Games in 1978, finishing behind Henry Rono. He represented his country at the World Championships in Athletics in 1983 and the Summer Olympics in 1984.
At both events, there was a Kenyan medal sweep led by Henry Rono and James Munyala.
(Contemporary news reports stated that he was Henry Rono"s brother) The following year he established himself in his own right by winning steeplechase gold medals at the East and Central African Championships and the inaugural 1979 African Championships in Athletics (where he also claimed a 5000 metres bronze behind Ethiopia"s Miruts Yifter and Yohannes Mohamed. The following year he was affected by the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott.
Despite a run of 8:12.0 minutes at the Golden Gala in Rome – the second fastest that year after Bronisław Malinowski – he was unable to compete at a major competition. He did compete at the Liberty Bell Classic (Olympic Boycott Games) and while Malinowski took the steeplechase, Rono was the gold medallist in the 5000 m.
However, upon entering top level international competitions he proved to be past his best.
At the 1983 World Championships in Athletics he ranked twentieth in the semi-finals with a time of 8:33.97 minutes. He went out in the first round at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, finishing ninth in his heat with a time of 8:41.75 minutes. He declined in the steeplechase thereafter.
His next international appearance came at the 1988 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
There he was part of a dominant Kenyan team led by John Ngugi which took all top nine placings (bar Ethiopia"s Abebe Mekonnen in fifth). Rono shared in the team gold medals for his eighth-place finish.
Towards the end of his career, he focused on road running. He was also runner-up at the Giro Podistico di Pettinengo and placed third at the American Automobile Association 10 Kilometres Championship.