Michael Boit
Amanda Garcia
Prairie Reporter
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For over a century, the world has been mesmerized by the competition and honor that come with the Olympic Games. Every four years, millions are captivated by the ceremony and grandeur of competitors from all over the globe striving for a chance of glory.
Despite the passing of the Games, West Texas A&M University is still able to thrive in that honor and glory. As of a month ago, Dr. Michael Boit, a former Olympian of middle distance running, came on staff as a visiting professor of sports and exercise sciences.
Boit was born in Nandi, Kenya and raised in Eldoret. His running career began while in school as a child, and his victories led to his progression of representing his school and his region in competitions. He ran the 400, 800 and 1500 meter run, along with the one-mile in cross country.
“Running is the easiest sport,” Boit said. “There’s no equipment needed except shoes, and even then, that’s not always necessary. I believe running is fundamental, and that all people were made to run. It’s inherent, but because of our lifestyles and the easier means of communication, people in general, have become lazy.”
After winning the national high school title for the 800-meter run and graduating from St. Patrick’s High School in 1969, Boit attended Kenyatta University in Nairobi to study sports and exercise sciences. After receiving his diploma, he came to America to further his education at Eastern New Mexico University where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree.
He went on to receive two Master’s Degrees from Stanford University and a doctorate from the University of Oregon.
His accomplishments don’t stop there. The same year he received his degree at ENMU, Boit qualified to participate in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany.
“It was an overwhelming and exciting experience,” Boit said. “It was such a long time ago; I was so young, and it was my first time out of Kenya. It was just overwhelming and exciting knowing that the whole world was watching, and so many people were cheering for you.”
At the age of 23, he earned the bronze medal for his efforts in the 800-meter run and came in fourth place in the 1500 meter run.
IT’S ALL IN THE GENES: Michael Boit’s cousin, Philip Boit, competed in cross country skiing at the 1998 games held in Nagano, Japan. He was the first Kenyan to participate in the Winter Olympics.
“I was little bit disappointed in winning the bronze medal because I believe I should have won,” Boit said. “The person who came in first place was an American, and he won by 100th of a second. The man who came in second was a Russian, and he came in at the same time as me.
In the 1974 Commonwealth Games, Boit received the silver medal in the 800-meter run. In the 1977 World Cup of Athletes in Dusseldorf, Germany, he received the silver medal for the same race. He received the gold medal in the 1978 Commonwealth Games and the bronze in the same competition in 1982 for the 1500-meter run.
After years of thriving competition, Boit finally retired in 1985. After receiving his doctorate from the University of Oregon, he moved back to Kenya to teach at Kenyatta University.
Boit’s wife, Lillian, lives in Kenya, teaching education administration at the same university. They have two sons and a daughter. Their eldest son attended Texas Tech and now lives in Houston where he is putting his engineering degree into practice. The youngest son is studying electrical engineering at Eastern New Mexico University, and his daughter is attending Texas Tech working on her masters in sports and exercise sciences.
Boit has four sisters and four brothers. One of the deciding factors for him to teach temporarily at WT was because one of his brothers ran for the track team and lives in Amarillo. In addition, two of his nephews are currently attending WT.
“I like WT because the people are so friendly,” Boit said. “WT is a great institution, and this community is so nice to live in because everyone is so willing to help each other.”
Boit will be at WT for nine months, assisting in the instruction and recruiting for the sports and exercise department.