Athletics and Post-Athletics – Simion Biwott’s Journey

By Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (March 27^th 2025)

Origins

Former Kenyan distance runner, Simion Biwott, has a new quest or two. He wants to see Kenyan athletics ascend the heights it once achieved, but he also has concerns over social justice and the part that athletics and sport can and must play in that process.[1]

“I began my athletics career early in primary school and also in high school,” Biwott told me exclusively, “but I managed to represent my country after I had completed high school, so my first overseas victory came in México City’s Marathon.”

Success in México continued for Biwott.

“I was the first Kenyan to win that marathon in 1998 and later on I was invited to the Cancún Marathon, also in México, and I won it, the same year, in December.”

Biwott detailed his progress.

“In March I was invited for a half-marathon in Monterrey, México, again,” he said. “I won the half-marathon with a course record which lasted for many years. Then, I had to move to Europe. I was invited to Rotterdam in 1999, coming thirdin a time of 2:07.41, and I won the Berlin Marathon that year, in 2000. The same year, I won the Milan Marathon and then came 2001 – I was invited to Paris. I won the Paris Marathon.”

The Pinnacle and End of His Athletics Career

Biwott had served his apprenticeship – he was now ready to announce his arrival on the world stage in a big championship.

“Then, came the World Championship in 2001 in Canada, where I managed to come second, winning silver for my country. Then, I went back to Berlin where I came second. Then, I went to Rotterdam where I won and then, due to injury, I had to retire.”

So, Biwott’s career, promising as it seemed, ended prematurely without the opportunity to shine at the Olympic Games. He had to find different priorities to occupy his time. Biwott soon found a cause worthy of his time.

The Veterans Association

“That is the brief I can say about my athletics career,” Biwott said. He had no option but to move on from achievements on the track and roads to helping former Kenyan athletes. There was no shortage of those needing help and acknowledgement of their achievements on and off the track. Biwott had found the cause to fight for.

“Now, I am a veteran athlete working with the Veterans’ Association here in Kenya.”

The Veterans’ Association has an important task. Like many aging sportsmen and sportswomen, Kenya’s athletes encounter serious problems coping with the challenges of life after sport.

Biwott explains the plans of the Veterans’ Association.

“The main objective of the organisation is the welfare of the veteran athletes,” he said. “We realised that here in Kenya, while comparing it to what is happening in other parts of Africa, once the athletes are out of the track, normally they are forgotten even by their government,” he said. So, we came together to see if we can work together on something concerning the welfare of the veteran athletes and also leverage the experience we have on running so, we can also guide the young talent and advise them to run clean.”

Biwott remains concerned about the integrity of the sport as well. “You know, right now, we have the challenge of doping which was not there during our time, or if it was there, it was very rare and not even in Kenya, so, we are trying to advise the young to run clean, not using [performance] enhancing drugs and also maintain the legacy that was built by former athletes which elevated Kenya to become among the superpowers when it comes to the athletics.”

But he has another challenge too – Kenya’s female athletes face further challenges, ranging from exploitation by unscrupulous men targeting the wealth these athletes generate and the scandalous violence that sometimes accompanies these athletes when they dare to stand up to their abusers. Biwott supports these athletes and in particular the work that Kenyan-born distance runner, Joan Chelimo Melli, is doing not only to combat gender-based violence in athletics, but also to give aspiring young female athletes in particular the options they deserve.[2]

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[1] Articles, outlining Simion Biwott’s concerns and plans for social justice, especially combatting gender-based violence, will be published here soon.

[2] Articles on Chelimo and her work with Tirop’s Angels will be detailed in future articles here.