Benson Masya (May 14, 1970 – September 24, 2003) was a Kenyan

long-distance runner Long-distance running, or endurance running, is a form of continuous running over distances of at least . Physiologically, it is largely Aerobic exercise, aerobic in nature and requires endurance, stamina as well as mental strength. Within e ...

and

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...

specialist, who competed in the late 1980s and 1990s. He participated at the inaugural

IAAF World Half Marathon Championships The World Athletics Half Marathon Championships is a biennial international half marathon competition organised by World Athletics. The competition was launched as the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in 1992 and held annually until 2010. It ...

in 1992 and finished in first place.

Overview

Masya was a

Kamba Kamba may refer to: *Kamba people The Kamba or Akamba (sometimes called Wakamba) people are a Bantu ethnic group who predominantly live in the area of Kenya stretching from Nairobi to Tsavo and north to Embu, in the southern part of the f ...

by ethnicity. Initially he was a

boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: * Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing *Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab * Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans * Boxer snipe ee ...

attached to Kenyan postal service before concentrating on running. He won the

Great North Run The Great North Run (branded the Simplyhealth Great North Run for sponsorship purposes) is the largest half marathon in the world, taking place annually in North East England each September. Participants run between Newcastle upon Tyne and Sou ...

a record four times; in 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1996. He also won the

City-Pier-City Loop The CPC Loop Den Haag (abbreviated for ''City-Pier-City Loop'') is an annual half marathon competition held in the Hague, Netherlands, every mid-March. The inaugural edition was held in 1975 and featured a 14.5 km course. This was extended to ...

half marathon in

the Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...

twice in 1993 and 1994. His career as a top runner came to a premature end. The Portsmouth 10 Mile race in 1996 was among his last notable achievements. His reveller lifestyle may have contributed to deteriorating performances.

Death

Masya died in September 2003, aged 33, after a period of illness. At his death, he was accompanied by his friend

Cosmas Ndeti Cosmas Ndeti (born 24 November 1971) is a three-time winner of the Boston Marathon. He was the winner of the 1993, 1994, and 1995 races. He set the course record in 1994 with a time of 2:07:15, which was also the best marathon performance in 19 ...

. Masya was buried in

Kitui Kitui is a town and capital of Kitui County in Kenya, 180 kilometres east of Nairobi and 105 kilometres east of Machakos. it covers an area approximately 30,496.4 km squares and lies between latitudes 0°10 South and 3°0 South and longitudes ...

.Honolulu advertiser, September 30, 2003
3-time marathon champion dead at 33
/ref>

Achievements

References

External links

* 1970 births 2003 deaths Kamba people Kenyan male long-distance runners Kenyan male marathon runners World Athletics Half Marathon Championships winners People from Kitui County Recipients of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races Best Marathon Runner Award {{kenya-athletics-bio-stub