Leonard Mucheru Maina

Who is Leonard Mucheru Maina?

Leonard Mucheru Maina is a Kenyan long-distance runner, who started from 2004 until 2007 as Mushir Salem Jawher, having acquired the citizenship of Bahrain.

He originally represented Kenya and finished fourth in the short race at the 2000 World Cross Country Championships. He moved to Bahrain in 2003 and was granted citizenship in 2004, at the same time getting a new Arabic name. At that time Bahrain acquired a number of runners from African countries, especially Kenya.

Before changing nationality Maina finished seventh at the 2003 World Indoor Championships and fourth at the 2003 World Athletics Final. In 2004 he became Asian Indoor Champion for Bahrain in 3000 metres. This stirred some controversy as he, according to IAAF rules, was not eligible to run for his new country until 16 March 2006. At the end of the season he finished fourth at the World Athletics Final for the second year in a row. However, he was absent from the top international level until late 2006 when he won a silver medal at the Asian Games. Other medalists for Bahrain included Yusuf Saad Kamel, Belal Mansoor Ali and Tareq Mubarak Taher, also imported from Kenya.