He was born in
Lenape village, near
Narok town in 1983. He started running in 1998, while at high school. He graduated from
Moi Amalo Secondary School in 2001 and then joined
Kenya Police. In 2004 he finished fifth at the Kenyan Olympic trials, missing the Olympics but was selected for the
African Championships, where he won a silver medal. Mainly competing on the European
track and field circuit, he qualified for the
IAAF World Athletics Final in 2004, 2005 and 2006, eventually winning a silver medal in the latter edition. His times continued to improve and his new personal best of 8:07.50 set in
Rome made him the third fastest man that year. The 2007 season marked a breakthrough for Mateelong as he reached the podium at his first
World Championships by taking the bronze medal in the
men's steeplechase race. He closed the year with a second consecutive silver at the World Athletics Final. He made a strong start to the 2008 season, becoming African steeplechase champion at the
2008 African Championships in Athletics. He went on to win his first ever Olympic medal at the
2008 Beijing Olympics later that year, finishing behind compatriot
Brimin Kipruto and
Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad in the
Olympic final. He again managed to get in the medals at the
2008 IAAF World Athletics Final and won bronze on that occasion. At the Doha
2012 Diamond League meeting, Mateelong was second to compatriot Paul Koech in the steeplechase, in a new personal best time of 7:56.81. This makes Mateelong the eighth fastest man in history. He came fourth behind
Abel Mutai at the Kenyan Olympic trials, however, meaning he did not gain selection for the Kenyan team. , he lives in
Nyeri and is married with one child. He is managed by
Gianni Demadonna. He is technically advised by Renato Canova. ==Achievements==