SSG Leonard Korir

Track and Field

Sport: Track and Field
Event: Marathon
Hometown: Iten, Kenya
High School: Kipsangui High
College: Iona College
Joined Army: September 2015
MOS: 88M, Motor Transport Operator

SSG Leonard Korir started running in 2008, while still in high school in Kenya. He found inspiration in world-renowned Kenyan runners like Paul Tergat. “I liked their work ethic and how they trained hard every day,” Leonard says. He ran cross country and track for Iona College, and enlisted in the Army in 2015. Leonard didn’t rest after graduating basic training. He instead launched into a grueling training schedule to prepare for the Olympics – and made the 2016 Olympic team. Since then, the Olympian has continued to see his personal bests get better and better.

Serving my country fuels my athletic drive. Proud to represent the nation's strength, I strive for excellence both in uniform and in competition.

Career Highlights

2024

3rd place - USATF Marathon Olympic Trials, Orlando, FL

2023

2nd place - USATF Half Marathon Championship, Fort Worth, TX 2020

U.S. Olympic Team Alternate (Marathon)

2022

2nd place - USATF 15Km Road Race Championships, Jacksonville, FL

1st place - USATF Half Marathon Road Championship, Indianapolis, IN

1st place - USATF 25Km Road Race Championships, Grand Rapids, MI

1st place - BAA 10K Road Race, Boston, MA

3rd place - USATF 8K Road Race Championship, Kingsport, TN

2nd place - USATF 20K Road Race Championship, New Haven, CT

2nd place - USATF 10K Road Race Championship, New York, NY

2021

3rd place - Olympic Trials Qualifier, Virginia Beach, VA (5,000m)

2019

4th place - Great Stirling Cross Country, Stirling, Scotland (8K)

3rd place - USATF Cross Country Championship, Tallahassee, FL

2nd place - USATF 15K Championship, Jacksonville, FL

1st Place - USATF Half Marathon Championship, Pittsburgh, PA

5th place - Nijmegen 10,000m Nijmegen, Netherlands

3rd place - 2019 Outdoor National Championships, Des Moines, IA

1st place - Falmouth Road Race, Falmouth, MA (7 Mile)

1st place - USATF 20K Championships, New Haven, CT

2018

1st place - Great Edinburgh Cross Country International Challenge, Edinburgh, Scotland (8K)

1st place - 2018 USATF Cross Country Championships, Tallahassee, FL (10K)

1st place - USATF 15K Championship, Jacksonville, FL

3rd place - Falmouth Road Race, Falmouth, MA (7-Mile)

1st place - USATF 20K Road Race Championship, New Haven, CT

2nd place - USATF 10-Mile Championship, Minneapolis, MN

2017

1st place - Great Edinburgh Cross Country International Challenge, Edinburgh, Scotland (8K)

2nd place - USATF 10 Mile Championship, Minneapolis, MN

3rd place - New Delhi Half Marathon, New Delhi, India

1st place - Houston Half Marathon, Houston, TX

1st place - U.S. Cross Country Championship, Bend, OR

1st place - 15k National Championship, Jacksonville, FL

1st place - USATF Half Marathon Championship, Columbus, OH

2nd place - BolderBoulder 10K, Boulder, CO

3rd place - USATF Outdoor Championships, Sacramento, CA (10,000m)

1st place - 10K National Championship, Atlanta, GA

2nd place - Falmouth Road Race, Falmouth, MA (7 Mile)

2nd place - 20K National Championship, New Haven, CT

2016

1st place - Stanford Invitational, Palo Alto, CA (10,000m)

2nd place - Hoka One Middle Distance Classic, Los Angeles, CA (5,000m)

3rd place - Olympic Trials, Eugene, OR (10,000m)(Qualified for Olympic Team)