Meet Priscillah Biwott, the 58-year-old granny running marathons
Priscilah Biwott, a 58-year-old athlete speaks to the press at Sosiot playgrounds in Kericho county after participating in the inaugural Belgut 10 kms road race to raise funds for education of orphans on August 6, 2023 where she finished in position 54.
What you need to know:
- The athlete from Soi Constituency in Uasin Gishu County is a common figure in races across the country
- Biwott, who never showed any sign of strain for someone of her age, said competing against young athletes helps her push her boundaries
- Biwott called on the elderly in the society to take part in athletics and other sports events so as to keep fit and ward off diseases related with old age
With short grey hair, an elderly lady lines up at the start of the race against other competitors young enough to be her daughters and grandchildren.
Undaunted, she takes her position for yet another race in what has become her lifestyle.
For over 40 years, Priscillah Biwott, 58, has been running, not just to keep fit but because athletics is dear to her heart.
“I’ve competed in races in many countries including Italy, Brazil, India, and Tanzania,” Biwott said in a post-race interview, a bottle of mineral water in hand and her face soaked in sweat.
She spoke to journalists after competing in the inaugural Belgut 10 kilometres road race in Kericho County on Sunday.
When Roads Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, flanked by Belgut MP Nelson Koech, flagged off the race at Chepnyoga trading centre, Biwott bolted out without hesitation.
She crossed the finish line 16 minutes after the winner, Janeth Chepng’etich, 24. The Prague Half Marathon silver medallist from Nakuru County, who is 34 years younger than Biwott, hit the tape at a time of 33:15.4.
Peter Mwaniki, 29, won the men’s race in a time of 29:16.0 — 20 minutes faster than the elderly athlete.
The road race was organised to raise money to support the education of orphans studying at Belgut Taptugen Starehe Boys School and Belgut Starehe Girls Secondary School in Kericho County.
Biwott was able to beat more than 50 athletes who were far younger she is, some runners dropped out.
Biwott has been running since she joined Kamwosor Primary School in Elgeyo Marakwet County where she competed in the 400 metres races. She continued with the sport when she moved to Laboret Secondary School in Nandi County where she sat her national examinations in 1984.
The athlete from Soi Constituency in Uasin Gishu County is a common figure in races across the country. On July 25, she took part in the Re-Discover Nandi Road Race (10km).
“I’ve come to Kericho to compete today and next week I’ll be in Eldoret in my home county of Uasin Gishu,” the mother of four grown up children, said.
Biwott, who never showed any sign of strain for someone of her age, said competing against young athletes helps her push her boundaries.
“I’m happy to have competed with the youthful athletes who are my children. I feel very strong,” she said, adding that she has six grandchildren who are her biggest fans.
Three weeks ago she took part in a race in Nairobi to raise money to buy shoes for refugees.
“I was number one in the category of the athletes aged 55-59 years. This motivated me to put more effort into my training,” said Biwott who usually trains in Eldoret but moved to Kiambu County for the last one month to improve her performance.
“I want to appeal to the youth to run clean and avoid use of performance enhancing drugs that have cut short careers of many athletes,” She said.
Biwott called on the elderly in the society to take part in athletics and other sports events so as to keep fit and ward off diseases related with old age.
