Jonathan Komen
1 May 2011
Nairobi — He is among the pioneer athletes that stamped Kenya’s authority in the water and barriers race, the 3,000 metres steeplechase.
And despite basking in the glory of the 3,000 metres bronze medal he clinched at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, William Mutwol is not your typical Kenyan runner.
Since he laid the foundation for the steady Marakwet steeplechase production line, Mutwol now leads a quiet life in the heart of the Uasin Gishu farmlands, where he runs a private school and is a farmer.
He lives in Karuna, a formerly white settler farm in Eldoret East, and because he distanced himself a bit from athletics, even after ripping the tracks across the globe, Mutwol has not attracted more than a passing glance.
He chose to invest around his rural home and most residents simply know him because of the school, and not because of bagging a medal in the world’s biggest sporting extravaganza, the Olympics.
He owns the St Marcel Rayfarm Academy, one of the leading schools in the Uasin Gishu County. And because he is frequently at the school, most people refer him as mwalimu (teacher), and he always appreciates it.
Although he is the Athletics Kenya Eldoret East branch chairman, Mutwol has other accolades tucked into his roll of honours in the athletics world.
He bagged a silver medal at the 20th IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Boston, USA, in 1992 and missed out of the medal bracket in three world cross country editions.
He was ninth in 1986 (junior race) in Neuchatel, Switzerland, fifth in Aix-les-Bains, France, in 1990 before winding up 12th in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1991. He, however, broke the five-kilometre all-time mark in California, barely five days after winning a silver medal in Boston. But unlike other track superstars, the seven-and-half lap great looks different.
His love and passion for academics is always visible in his eyes, with, ironically, none of his children having taken up running.
“Poverty and numerous hardships made us to venture into running. We also need academic excellence and that’s why I set up the school,” the husband and father of five said.
“We used to trek seven kilometres to school, without lunch and we were forced to run. We crossed over three rivers and, during weekends, we herded goats which also involved a lot of running.”
His first born, Evans Mutwol, and second born, Timothy, are students at Kabarak and Moi universities respectively.
Mutwol’s quest for education glared when he honoured admission at the athletics-rich Marakwet High School despite having secured an offer to join the armed forces after completing Standard Eight in 1981 at Sinon Primary School in Marakwet.
The 44-year-old Mutwol, who ran a 8:10.74 steeplechase personal best time at the Barcelona Olympics, said they had strategised well for the glory in Barcelona. “We trained as a team, and we only wanted to ensure that our national anthem was played in Barcelona.
“Spain, Morocco and France had strong teams and bearing in mind that Olympics is not a weekend meeting, we struggled to win the gold medal,” said Mutwol.
By then, Kenyans had won the last two Olympic gold medals in 1968 and 1972, and Barcelona was Kenya’s first medal sweep in the steeplechase.
Mathew Birir, then a world junior record holder, and Patrick Sang won gold and silver medals. It was the third medal sweep in the steeplechase, having been achieved by Finland in 1928 and Sweden in 1948.
During the Olympic battle, Mutwol seemed to have run out of gas as he was closely followed by Alessandro Lambruschini of Italy on the homestretch and thus left Kenyan fans doubting the podium sweep.
He brags, albeit good-naturedly: “He almost upstaged me but I ensured that I sealed a podium sweep for Kenya. And team work was paramount,” he said in an interview with the Monday Sport at his school in Eldoret East.
Since his bronze medal win in Barcelona, Mutwol stood out consistent despite battling out a tendon injury that took the wind out of his sails.
“I tried to run in marathon but no success. Initially, I thought running with spikes worsened it, but not. That’s why I am still limping up to now,” he says.
His prowess may have set the ball rolling for athletics-mad steeplechase runners from the rough terrain of Marakwet District who have kept sweeping every record in sight that left the world wonder that makes them claim a stake to the glory.
Standing at five-and-half feet, Mutwol was impressed with his athletics exploits as it satisfied most of his needs. “It enabled me set this school and helped raise my family. But of all it educated my children,” he said.
Apart from the athletics earnings, Mutwol served in the armed forces in Lanet as a serviceman between 1986 and 2003.
At the military, he led his team in the Ekiden relays in Tokyo to a silver medal, running his 10km leg in a brilliant 27:49.
Cut from a different material altogether, Mutwol stands out from his fellow running neighbours among them three-time world steeplechase champion Moses Kiptanui.
He chose to invest fully in rural home as he plants maize and wheat. He stepped into the shoes of his mentors, Samson Kimobwo, the former 10,000 metres world record holder whose mark Henry Rono broke in 1978, Joseph Chemaringo and Joseph Kiptum.
“I was the third athlete from Marakwet to board a plane for international duty. “I used to admire the runners and also hear over the radio about Kipchoge Keino,” he says.
In 2003, after serving in the Sierra Leone Peace mission, the military man opted for an early retirement. He says he needed enough rest and to dedicate more time to his family.
Owing to his vast exposure to the world, Mutwol occasionally offers social talks to pupils and stresses the need for effective communication skills.
“During our times, some athletes could run away from journalists. We should try to shun this right from school,” Mutwol says.
Mutwol, who is also an IAAF trained athletics coach, has a soft-spot for academic excellence and only looks for the best marks in class and on the track.
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