Mike Boit

Mike Boit

Boit in 2006
Personal information
Full name	Michael Kipsugut Boit
Born	6 January 1949(1949-01-06)(age75) Eldoret,Kenya
Height	180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	68 kg (150 lb)
Sport
Club	Kenyatta University
Achievements and titles
Personalbest(s)	800 m – 1:43.57 (1976) 1500 m – 3:33.67 (1981) Mile – 3:49.45 (1981)
Medal record Men'sathletics RepresentingKenya Olympic Games 1972 Munich 800 metres Commonwealth Games 1978 Edmonton 800 metres 1974 Christchurch 800 metres 1982 Brisbane 1500 metres African Championships 1979 Dakar 1500 metres IAAF World Cup 1977 Düsseldorf 800 metres

Michael Kipsugut Boit(born 6 January 1949)is a Kenyan former professional middle-distance athlete whose career spanned fifteen years. He is a professor atKenyatta Universityin the Department of Exercise and Sports Science. He is an uncle toPhilip Boit,who became the first Kenyan athlete to compete in theWinter Olympics.

Education

Boit graduated fromSt. Patrick's High SchoolinItenin 1969, a school well known for having produced such world class distance runners asMatthew Birir,David Rudisha,Wilson Kipketer,Japheth Kimutaiand many others. Boit received a Diploma from Kenyatta College (now Kenyatta University) in 1972, a bachelor's degree fromEastern New Mexico Universityin 1976, two master's degrees fromStanford Universityin 1977 and 1978, and a Doctoral of Education Degree from theUniversity of Oregonin 1986. In 2014, Boit received an honorary Doctorate of Science (DSc) from theUniversity of Glasgowin recognition of his contributions to the academic research of sports and its development in Kenya.

Teaching and Administration

Boit joined theKenyatta Universityas a full-time faculty member in 1987. From 1990 to 1997, Boit took leave of his position at the University to work as theKenya Commissioner of Sports;Boit returned to Kenyatta University in 1998.

During the 1990s, Boit also stayed active in the athletics community as a member of theIAAF Athletes Commissionfrom 1989 to 1999 and theSpecial Olympicsfrom 1992 to 1995.

In 2004, Boit and his friend John Manners, whom he met while in high school when Manners was in the Peace Corps, foundedKENSAP,TheKenya Scholar-Athlete Project.The Project helps bright students from under-served regions of Kenya gain admission to elite colleges in the United States. Boit and Manners have successfully placed more than 100 students in top American universities, including Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Duke, Wesleyan, Brown, Cornell, Amherst, Yale, Barnard, Carleton, Oberlin, Dartmouth, UPenn, Wellesley, Bates, Colby, Tufts, Middlebury, Brandeis, Williams and Hamilton.

Athletics career

Boit at the 1972 Olympics

Representing St. Patrick's – Iten, Boit won the Kenya national high school title in the 800 metres in 1969. He later went on to win the 800 metres bronze medal at the1972 Munich Olympics,in a race better known for the last-to-first comeback kick by US OlympianDave Wottle.Boit also earned a fourth-place finish in the 1500 metres behind fellow legendary Kenyan runnerKipchoge Keino.

A Kenya boycott of the1976 Montreal Olympicsand1980 Moscow Olympicsdenied Boit a second chance for Olympic glory. Boit however remained one of the world's top middle distance runners throughout the 1970s winning the 800 metres silver medal at the1974 Commonwealth Gamesand a silver medal at the 1977 World Cup of Athletics in a much anticipated face-off against the 1976 Olympic gold medalistAlberto JuantorenaofCuba.He finished 2nd at the1977 IAAF World Cup800 metres race.

Boit won the gold at the1978 Commonwealth Gamesand a bronze in the 1500 metres at the1982 Commonwealth Games.He won the 1500 metres at the1st African Championshipsin 1979. In Sebastian Coe's record breaking Summer of 81 Boit could often be seen at Coe's shoulder in 1500 metre and mile races, pushing him all the way to the line as the records tumbled. In 1983 Boit ran a downhill mile in 3:28.36, the then fastest mile in history.This did not count as the world record because of the course's downhill grade. Boit ended his athletic career in 1990 breaking the Masters Division Indoor World Record for the mile inMeadowlands,New Jersey.

External links

• Mike BoitatWorld Athletics
• Mike BoitatTilastopaja(registration required)
• Mike BoitatOlympics at Sports-Reference.com(archived)