I hawked milk to raise school fees-2012 Paris Marathon winner Stanley Biwott

Tell us a little about your family and background...

I’m the second-born in a family of four. My parents could hardly afford money to keep us all in school. I dropped out of Sirikwa Secondary School in Form Three to raise money for my fees. I sold milk in Mosoriot and raised enough money to complete school. Life was tough.

Was being an athlete your childhood dream?

I actually became an athlete by sheer luck. In 2005, I sat for my KCSE and scored a B minus. I always dreamt of being a doctor, but my parents couldn’t afford to pay my fee.

So how did you end up as an athlete?

When I realised that my dream to become a doctor was not tenable, I vowed to do something else to help uplift my family. I started training myself every morning hoping that one day I would participate in a marathon and become rich like other athletes from my community.

Did your parents support you?

Yes they did. However, my neighbours kept mocking me, claiming I would never succeed. But I had my eyes on the prize and I trained for two months before participating in a marathon in Eldoret.

Did you win?

I came third, but it was also a win as I impressed a trainer who took me to Abraham Mutai training camp in Eldoret.

Is that how you got to participate in the Carpi Marathon in Italy?

Yes, this was my turning point. While in the camp, I met Claudio Berardelli who was very impressed by my running skills. I will never forget the day he told me that I would be going to Italy. I could not sleep for one month.

The very thought of boarding a plane for the first time was too good to be real. I kept calling just to make sure that the trip had not been cancelled. I didn’t even fully focus on my training. I just wanted to go to Italy. That probably explains why I came seventh. I could have probably done better.

Is this how you started making money?

No. But at least it silenced the doubting Thomases in the village. I became very popular and suddenly everyone wanted to be associated with me. They just wanted me to tell them about planes and Italy. I was the village hero. Things got better when I moved to South America for four months.

What were you doing in South America?

I went to Brazil in 2007 to train for four months. I made a lot of money and sent it back home to educate my siblings, buy livestock and generally improve my family’s lifestyle. Since then, things have gotten better. I have managed to build my own house.

Do you regret not making it to university and becoming a doctor?

Not at all. God has opened doors for me and I guess this is how it was supposed to be.

What would you advise other people out there who are going through similar situations?

Keep your eyes on the prize. Do not give up!