Thomas Osano (born 4 June 1970) is a Kenyan former long-distance runner who competed across track, road, and cross country running disciplines. His greatest individual honour was a 10,000 metres gold medal at the 1991 All-Africa Games. He also shared in a team gold medal with Kenya at the 1993 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships. His best global placing was fourth at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics. Osano ran extensively in professional road races and among his victories were the Route du Vin Half Marathon, CPC Loop Den Haag, Bay to Breakers and Bolder Boulder. Career Early career Osano competed for Kenya at an early age and as a junior athlete he shared in a team silver at the 1987 IAAF World Cross Country Championships (led by winner Wilfred Kirochi) before returning in 1989 to finish fourth and help Kenya to the team title alongside individual medallists Kipyego Kororia and Stephenson Nyamau. He won an individual medal at the 1988 World Junior Championships in Athletics, entering the 20K run, where he was runner-up to Ethiopia's Zeleke Metaferia. He began running in the Japanese corporate athletic system in 1990 and had much success in the country. He took a distance double at the Japan Championships in Athletics and won a second 10,000 m title in 1991. He also competed on the roads, winning the Kosa and Nobeoka 10-milers in 1990, then having successive wins in 1991 and 1992 at the All Japan Corporate Team Half Marathon Championships, Beppu-Oita Half Marathon and Hyogo Relays 10,000 m. African champion and missed Olympics Osano competed extensively around the world in the 1991 season. In May he had wins at the Great West Run in England, as well as at the Bay to Breakers and Bolder Boulder in the United States. At the Bislett Games in Norway in July he recorded a lifetime best of 27:28.87 minutes for the 10,000 m. Although this only brought him third at the competition, it made him the fifth fastest runner over the distance that year. He was selected to represent Kenya on the track at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics. His compatriots Moses Tanui and Richard Chelimo took the top two spots in the 10,000 m. Osano's plan was to disrupt the running of the (highly favoured) Moroccan Khalid Skah and though the tactic was successful for his teammates, Osano finished behind Skah in fourth. Two