Wilson Kiprugut

Wilson Kiprugut

Personal information
Born	1938 (age 77–78) Kericho, Kenya
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	71 kg (157 lb)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	400 m, 800 m
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	400 m – 46.6 (1965) 800 m – 1:44.57 (1968)
Medal record Representing  Kenya Olympic Games 1968 Mexico City 800 m 1964 Tokyo 800 m British Empire and Commonwealth Games 1966 Kingston 880 yd All-Africa Games 1965 Brazzaville 400 m 1965 Brazzaville 800 m

Wilson Chuma Kiprugut (born 1938) is a retired Kenyan sprinter and middle-distance runner. He competed at the 1964 and 1968 Olympics and won two medals in the 800 metres event; in 1964 he also ran 400 metres, but failed to reach the final.^[1] He was the first Kenyan athlete to win an Olympic medal.^[2]

At the 1962 Commonwealth Games he was part of the Kenyan 4×440 yards relay team which finished fifth.^[3] At the 1966 Commonwealth Games he won the 880 yards bronze medal. He won two gold medals (in the 400 and 800 metres) at the inaugural All-Africa Games in 1965.^[4]

In 2010 he was selected as World Sports Personality of the Year.^[5]

He grew up in Kericho and began running as a child while at Kaptebeswet Primary School and Sitotwet Intermediate School.^[2] His talent was first identified when he ran at the East and Central African Championships – an event where he won no less than three 880-yard titles.^[6]

References