Champion who first trained in dad’s shoes

Nicholas Bett celebrates winning the final of the men's 400m hurdles at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, on August 25, 2015. XINHUA PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • The IAAF 400 metres hurdles gold medallist would, as a young man, pinch his dad’s shoes for training.

As a young man, Nicholas Bett would pinch his father’s sports shoes and use them during his training because he had no pair of his own.

For his mischief, his parents would punish him whenever he returned home in the evening, his father’s shoes in his hands.

On Tuesday, however, running in his own shoes during the ongoing 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, Bett became the first Kenyan to win a gold medal in the 400 metres hurdles, the first for the country on the global stage.

As he cruised his way to the finish line, cheered on by Kenyans who watched the race on television, tears welled up in his mother’s eyes as she remembered how the new sensation began his running as a young man.

“They would steal their father’s gear to run,” said Mrs Esther Boit, a mother of four. She described how Bett, her second child, and his twin brother Aron Koech would nick their father’s spikes when he was not looking and use them to practice.

“It never seemed serious then and though I wanted them to study hard, I am quite happy now,” she said, shortly after watching her son make his way to the podium to receive his gold medal after beating other athletes from across the globe to become the new IAAF champion, with Kenya’s national anthem filling the stadium.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as her son, now 23, was crowned champion, his gold medal putting Kenya on top of the medal table. By Thursday, Kenya was still in pole position with six gold, three silver and two bronze medals ahead of the United States.

RUNNING BAREFOOT

Although he would punish them for pinching his shoes, with time Mr Joseph Boit came to appreciate his sons’ athletic potential and started coaching them.

The twins represented Simat Primary School in athletics, running barefoot but still managed to beat strong competitions to reach the provincial levels. Koech specialised in the 110 metres hurdles.

“This is when I took up coaching myself, after seeing their potential. I decided to split them,” Mr Boit said.

In 2005, both athletes joined Paul Boit-Kapkong High School but transferred to Cheptil the following year.

They would, in 2009, represent Cheptil at the East African School Games in Rwanda. They also competed in the national championships for two years.

Bett first ascended to the international limelight after winning a bronze medal during last year’s African Championships in Marrakech. This week, he felt particularly challenged to excel because his twin brother had failed to sail through in the semis.

And when he crossed the finish line, his mother back in Lemook Village in Uasin Gishu County burst into tears and the biblical Mirriam’s Song that the Israelites sang when they reached the promised land.

“God heard the prayers of the Israelites…” says the song.

PLAYED VOLLEYBALL

About 10 years ago, neighbours knew Bett and Koech as two crazy brothers who would often fashion hurdles from twigs as they competed in sprinting and jumping over them.

On Wednesday, however, the same villagers joined Bett’s family, including his wife, in celebrations as they watched him receive his medal.

“I was so happy,” said Gladys, his wife. “I was so crazy and almost dropped one of my four-month old twins. He has come from far, and his dream is now becoming a reality.”

In a telephone interview with the Nation, Bett said: “Playing volleyball helped me. I was the forward in my team and the high jumping really helped me.”

At Cheptil, the brothers also competed in the sprints. The then principal of the school, Mr Kipchumba Maiyo, played a big role in nurturing their talent, allowing them to train and even go home to participate in the athletics series at times, recalled Mr Boit, who had on several occasions dominated national championships.

The evening after finishing their secondary school examinations, a coach from the Kenya Defence Forces called the family, saying the military intended to absorb the two into its athletics programme. The Kenya Police also showed interest and won the bid.

TREMENDOUS FORM

“They were taken to the Police Service, where coaches saw their talents and further honed their skills. They have been doing well since then,” their father said.

Jukka Hakonen, from Finland, who also manages world javelin champion Julius Yego, took Bett on a series of foreign trips for training and also competitions last year. However, the athlete could not advance past the heats at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games due to an injury.

Bett would remain in Finland for several months before returning to Kenya for the national trials.

“Allowing him to train outside the country for a number of months tells how the Police Service has been supportive of my son’s career and I thank them,” said Mr Boit.

According to him, Bett came back from Finland in tremendous form. He had perfected the clearing and steps calculation that were his biggest problems.

His wife, however, is not so keen on techniques.

“I just want to see them and give them a warm hug,” she said. “They have really made us proud. Nothing can compare with my happiness now.”

Bett is a part-time farmer and one of his aims when he returns from China is to finish construction of a greenhouse behind his house.