Michael (Mike) Kipsugut Boit (born 6 January 1949) is a Kenyan former professional middle-distance athlete whose career spanned fifteen years. He is a professor at

Kenyatta University Kenyatta University (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Nairobi County, Kenya. It acquired the status of university in 1985, being the third university after University of Nairobi (1970) and Moi University (1984). As of ...

in the Department of Exercise and Sports Science. He is an uncle to Philip Boit, who became the first Kenyan athlete to compete in the

Winter Olympics The Winter Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'hiver) is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were h ...

Education

Boit graduated from St. Patrick's High School in Iten in 1969, a school well known for having produced such world class distance runners as Matthew Birir,

David Rudisha David Lekuta Rudisha, MBS (born 17 December 1988) is a Kenyan middle-distance runner who specialized in the 800 metres. He is a two-time back-to-back Olympic champion from the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics, a two-time World champion from t ...

Wilson Kipketer Wilson Kosgei Kipketer (born 12 December 1972) is a Danish former middle distance runner. He is the second fastest of all time over 800 meters, setting the world record and breaking his own record two more times all in 1997. He dominated the ...

Japheth Kimutai Japheth Kimutai (born December 20, 1978, in Lelmokwo, Nandi District) is a Kenyan middle-distance runner who specialized in 800 metres. In 1998 he won the gold medal at the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games in a time of 1:43.82. In the same year h ...

and many others. Boit received a Diploma from Kenyatta College (now Kenyatta University) in 1972, a bachelor's degree from

Eastern New Mexico University Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU or Eastern) is a public university with a main campus in Portales, New Mexico, and two associate degree-granting branches, one at Ruidoso and one at Roswell. ENMU is New Mexico's largest regional comprehensiv ...

in 1976, two master's degrees from Stanford University in 1977 and 1978, and a Doctoral of Education Degree from the

University of Oregon The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...

in 1986. In 2014, Boit received an honorary Doctorate of Science (DSc) from the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

in recognition of his contributions to the academic research of sports and its development in Kenya.

Teaching and Administration

Boit joined the

as a full-time faculty member in 1987. From 1990 to 1997, Boit took leave of his position at the University to work as the Kenya Commissioner of Sports; Boit returned to Kenyatta University in 1998. During the 1990s, Boit also stayed active in the athletic community as member of the IAAF Athletes Commission from 1989 to 1999 and the

Special Olympics Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities and physical disabilities, providing year-round training and activities to 5 million participants and Unified Sports partners in ...

from 1992–1995. In 2004, Boit and his friend John Manners, whom he met while in high school when Manners was in the Peace Corps, founde
KENSAP
The Kenya 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 currently 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

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 the

1972 Munich Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (german: München 1972), was an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ...

, in a race better known for the last-to-first comeback kick by US Olympian

Dave Wottle David James Wottle (born August 7, 1950) is an American retired middle-distance track athlete. He was the gold medalist in the 800 meter run at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich and a world record holder in the 800 meters. In 1973, Wottle also ...

. Boit also earned a fourth-place finish in the 1500 metres behind fellow legendary Kenyan runner Kipchoge Keino. A Kenya boycott of the 1976 Montreal Olympics and

1980 Moscow Olympics The 1980 Summer Olympics (russian: Летние Олимпийские игры 1980, Letniye Olimpiyskiye igry 1980), officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad (russian: Игры XXII Олимпиады, Igry XXII Olimpiady) and commo ...

denied 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 the 1974 Commonwealth Games and a silver medal at the 1977 World Cup of Athletics in a much anticipated face-off against the 1976 Olympic gold medalist

Alberto Juantorena Alberto Juantorena (born 3 December 1950) is a Cuban former runner. He is the only athlete to win both the 400 and 800 m Olympic titles, which he achieved in 1976. He was ranked as world's best runner in the 400 m in 1974 and 1976–1978, a ...

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

. He finished 2nd at the

1977 IAAF World Cup The 1st IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event sponsored by the International Association of Athletics Federations, held from 2 to 4 September 1977, at the Rheinstadion in Düsseldorf, West Germany. Overa ...

800 metres race. Boit won the gold at the 1978 Commonwealth Games and a bronze in the 1500 metres at the 1982 Commonwealth Games. He won the 1500 metres at the 1st African Championships in 1979. In Sebastian Coe's record breaking Summer of 81 Boit could often be seen lurking 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.Molenberg Mile: The current record holder is Craig Wheeler 3.2
The Queen Street Golden Mile: The 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 in Meadowlands,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Boit, Mike 1949 births Living people Athletes (track and field) at the 1972 Summer Olympics Kenyan male middle-distance runners Olympic athletes of Kenya Olympic bronze medalists for Kenya Athletes (track and field) at the 1982 Commonwealth Games Athletes (track and field) at the 1978 Commonwealth Games Athletes (track and field) at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Kenya Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Kenya Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Kenya Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics Medalists at the 1972 Summer Olympics Olympic bronze medalists in athletics (track and field) People from Uasin Gishu County