Lopez Lomong

Sport: Track and Field

Nation: United States of America

DOB: January 1, 1985

Hometown: Beaverton, OR

Career Highlights: Lomong's remarkable story adds a new chapter with a second Olympic berth - this time in the 5,000 meters, after he ran the 1,500 in Beijing and carried the flag at opening ceremonies for the U.S. delegation. The most important run of his life, though, remains the three-day trek he made through war-torn Sudan, escaping from a brutal militia that had captured him and held him for weeks. Lomong's parents thought he had died, but he made it to the Kenyan border and lived for the next 10 years in a refugee camp. As one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, Lomong eventually was relocated to the United States, where he lived with a family in upstate New York and overcame some initial culture shock to become an elite runner and eventually a U.S. citizen. Lomong recently wrote a book about his life and now has a foundation with the mission of helping people in South Sudan, though he continues to excel on the track. He won an NCAA championship in the 1,500 while at Northern Arizona University in 2007, then qualified for the Beijing Games and reached the semifinals there. The national champion in the 1,500 in 2009 and 2010, Lomong is new to the 5,000. He ran an impressive time of 13:11.63 in his first race at that distance in April despite miscalculating the laps, then finished third at the U.S. Olympic trials to earn a spot in London. "I'm always pushing and challenging myself to see what I do," Lomong said. "There's more challenges to come, and I'm prepared to wear the U.S. on my chest and bring it down."

Olympic History: 2008