The dreams of Kenya's Paralympian Wilson Bii

Every time Paralympian Wilson Bii looks back on his athletics journey, the name Tanki Boxer must cross his mind,.

The 35-year-old visually impaired athlete, who competes in the T11 - 1500m and 5000m categories, says he owes his outstanding athletics career to Boxer – his former teacher at Ole Sankale Boarding Primary School in Narok County.

It is for this reason that Boxer is among the three people Bii will dedicate to his gold medal at the summer Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in Japan, should he bag one.

The rest are his wife Michelle, and three-year-old daughter Patience Chepkemoi.

 “My wife loves me the way I am, and at home she is my eyes, which I appreciate. For my daughter, she is the source of my happiness, while Boxer put all his effort into ensuring that I become the athlete I am today,” said Bii.

“Winning a gold medal in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, and dedicating it to them will be the best way to appreciate them.”

So determined is Bii in this cause that even the cancellation of the Paris World Para-Athletics Grand Prix, which was scheduled for May 5 to 7, has not let him, alongside his guide Robert Tarus, slow down on their training, on the tough terrains of Kericho County.

The Paris World Para-Athletics Grand Prix, which was to form part of the qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, was cancelled due to the ongoing, third national Covid-19 enforced lockdown in France.

“My focus is on the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. My goal is to win a gold medal in the competition and I am continuing with my training program like before, to remain in good shape for the games (Paralympics),” said the father of one.

They train three times everyday - at 5.30am, 10am and 4pm.

Bii qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in March, when he starred in the Tunis World Para-Athletics World Grand Prix.

He won gold in the men’s T11 - 5000m after timing 15 minutes and 56 seconds and silver in the 1500m of the same category in 4.17 seconds. It will be the third time that he is featuring in the Paralympics, having competed in the 2012 and 2016 events held in London and Rio de Janeiro respectively.

He credits Boxer for guiding him in his athletics career, just when his world looked to be crumbling.

While the 35-year-old athlete was born normal, his life took a turn sometime in April 2001 when a vehicle he was traveling in was involved in a head-on-collision at Ikonge area in Nyamira County.

His left eye popped out, while he also broke his right arm, and suffered chest injuries, which saw him spend more than one month at a Kericho hospital. Since then, Bii lost his sight, something he says took him a long time to accept.

“I was hurt so much by my new condition,” recounts the Paralympian, who was then a pupil at Kilusu Primary School in Narok.

“I felt like I was starting a different life, when the doctors told me that I should enroll in a special school to learn how to use braille and continue with my education.”

Then, he was 14 year old.

While Boxer got Bii enrolled at Ole Sankale Boarding Primary School, where the latter’s athletics career started, it took a lot of convincing by the former, who was then a teacher at the learning institution. The school also handles pupils with special needs.

“In our first meeting (with Boxer in 2001), I turned down the offer to enroll at the school, because I never imagined that I would learn how to use braille. He (Boxer) returned sometime in early 2002 and informed me of some school games for the disabled, which were to take place in Kisumu. I accepted to take part but on the condition that I am not going to study,” recalled Bii.

He finished first in 200m and 400m categories of the competition, and also emerged second in the 100m race.

“I was so proud of my performance in the competition. I accepted Boxer’s invite to join the school to train with the rest for the other competitions that were lined up. Because I was not keen on learning how to use braille, I would spend my time alone at the Resource Room until games time, when we used to train."

"Once in a while, Boxer would come in and tell me stories of how the other students like me were studying, and why it is important for me too to continue with my education.”

It is after Bii excelled in two other competitions that were held in Kitale and Nakuru in 2003 that he accepted to continue with his education at the school.

He was enrolled in class four.

He says he took the step, so as to remain in the school, to keep on polishing his running skills, since he had foreseen a bright future in the sport. After completing his primary education in 2008, Bii moved to Kericho, to perfect his running skills by training with other able-body athletes.

He took part in the 2009 Paralympics national trials held at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi that was meant to select athletes to take part in a competition in Ethiopia.

While he emerged third in 5000m behind leader Emanuel Cheruiyot and Francis Thuo, his hopes of making his international debut were extinguished, after the competition was cancelled.

In his Paralympics debut at the 2012 Games held in London, Bii opted out of the 5000m race in the third lap, after the going became tough for him due to an ankle injury he was nursing.

He claimed bronze in the 2016 event staged in Brazil, a performance he is confident of bettering at the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Paralympics that will be held from August 24 to September 5.

“I thank God I started this year well. My training is also going on well and it gives me the picture that I will have a good race in Tokyo and achieve my target,” said Bii, adding that he draws his confidence from his guide Tarus, whom they reunited with 2016 after the Brazil Games. They had parted ways in 2012.

"We understand each other very well. What I like in him is that he is not afraid to move forward during a race, which is very important for a win. Now that we are back together, I am sure he will guide me to victory," he said.

Boxer, who is now a Curriculum Support Officer (Special Needs Education) in Narok South and West, has tipped Bii to perform well in the Tokyo Games. “I am very proud of him because he took my advice, which is why he is a top athlete today. I have been following his progress and there is no doubt he is a top athlete and I believe he will do wonders at the Paralympics," said Boxer.

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