In 1980, aged 21, he moved to the United States to attend the College of Southern Idaho and he enjoyed most of his success in America.
[2] Matriculating to the University of Nevada, Reno, in 1981 he shocked much better known athletes like Alberto Salazar, Steve Scott, Henry Rono and countrymate Nick Rose by winning the TAC National Cross Country Championships.
[3] His time for the 10,000 metre course was over 2 seconds faster than the listed World Record for the distance on the track (set by Rono).
[4] A few weeks later he ran the Lasse Viren Finnish Invitational, an elite 20 km cross country race on hills and dirt trails.
[7][8] The time was set in his first attempt at the distance on the track on a rainy day in Eugene, Oregon running behind a stirring duel between Salazar and Rono that exacted revenge for the previous defeat.