Former MP Korir aims at reclaiming Boston Marathon title

After spending five years in politics, the 2012 Boston marathon champion Wesley Korir is now fully concentrating on his athletics career with reclaiming the Boston title his major focus in 2019.

The 36-year-old served in the National Assembly as a Member of Parliament of Cherangany from 2013-2017 and had a quiet stint in the sport after politics took the better part of his time thus failing to replicate his earlier form.

Prior to joining politics, Korir had won back- to-back titles at the Los Angeles Marathon in 2009 and 2010 before finishing as the runners up at the 2011 Chicago Marathon and thereafter winning the Boston Marathon a year later.

Although he made it to Team Kenya in the 2016 Rio Olympics, Korir  failed to finish the race after the mix up in the drinks saw him develop  stomach upsets and subsequently dropped out of the 42km race at the 30km mark.

Apart from his young family, Korir dedicates much of his time managing his Transcend Running Academy.

The academy aims at unlocking the potentials of young talents in athletics, with youngsters between the ages of 14-16 the major target.

Those picked get secondary school education alongside athletics training and if successful enough earn a scholarship to study in America.

“We target pupils who score 280 marks and above and take them through trials. The selected ones would thereafter join our training camps where we have coaches as well as education because we lay emphasis on the importance of developing talent alongside education. It is important for the athletes to note the important of education since you cannot be an athlete for life,” noted Korir.

The project started in 2005 and has seen a couple of students earn scholarship in the United States just like Korir did having studied at the University of Louisville.

“Since we started in 2005, we have at least 10 students earn scholarships in America’s Universities where they are doing very well for example Dorcas Wasike who is studying at the University of Louisville emerged second at the national levels of the 2017 University competition in USA,” said Korir.

Boston return

After his 2012 heroics, Korir has failed to make it to the podium in three years he returned to the Massachusetts state, finishing fifth in 2013 and 2015 before settling for the fourth position in 2016.

Having competed at the Beirut Marathon last November, Korir is now aiming to make a comeback at the Boston this time round with the aim of reclaiming the gong.

Although the veteran athlete finished the Lebanon race seventh in a time of 2:14.17, he is upbeat of improving on the performance more so after shaking off a long term injury.

“I have been fighting with injuries since I left Parliament and so I was going to Beirut to test my recovery and I am happy that I am fully fit now. I am now looking forward to participating in a couple of races in 2019 with my main target being the Boston Marathon,” said Korir.