Our Kenya

Amos Biwott

3 min read

Amos Biwott, representing Kenya at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, won the gold medal in the 3000 meters steeplechase in 8:51.0, becoming Kenya's third gold medalist at those historic Games. More notable than his medal itself was his steeplechase technique, which was fundamentally different from the approach used by European steeplechasers and represented innovation born from Kenya's running culture rather than coaching tradition.

Steeplechase, as contested internationally, involves running 3000 meters while negotiating 28 barriers (small hurdles, 0.91 meters high) and 7 water jumps. The water jump, unique to steeplechase, consists of a final barrier with a water pit on the landing side. Proper steeplechase technique requires athletes to develop specific barrier-clearing skills, usually learned through years of training and coaching.

Biwott's approach to steeplechase, however, bypassed formal barrier training. Rather than hurdling over barriers in the European style, clearing them with front leg extension and clean form, Biwott would often step on the barriers, using them almost as stepping stones. This technique looked crude compared to European steeplechasers who had trained barrier form since youth. However, it was remarkably effective. Biwott's willingness to handle the barriers roughly, while maintaining blistering pace on the running portions of the race, allowed him to transition quickly and continue running at near-maximum speed even while clearing obstacles.

This unorthodox technique raised questions about steeplechase efficiency and training methodology. European coaches criticized Biwott's form as inefficient and predicted he would suffer injuries. Yet Biwott remained healthy and competitive through the early 1970s. His Olympic victory demonstrated that there were multiple valid approaches to steeplechase racing, not just the refinement-based European model. Kenyan steeplechasers who followed Biwott adopted elements of his aggressive, less refined approach, and this became characteristic of Kenyan steeplechase style: powerful running with pragmatic barrier handling rather than aesthetic form.

After his Olympic gold, Biwott competed internationally through the early 1970s but did not achieve the sustained success of Kipchoge Keino. He competed at the 1972 Munich Olympics but did not medal. By the mid-1970s, Biwott's elite career had ended. Unlike Keino, who remained dominant into the 1970s, Biwott peaked quickly and declined rapidly.

Biwott's legacy is less in individual achievement and more in demonstrating that Kenyan runners could approach steeplechase differently than European traditions dictated. Subsequent Kenyan steeplechasers, from Julius Korir to Moses Kiptanui to modern runners, adopted variations of Biwott's approach: prioritizing running speed over hurdle form, using barriers pragmatically, and maintaining pace even through imperfect clearances. This Kenyan steeplechase style has proven so effective that Kenya dominates the modern steeplechase internationally. Since the 1980s, Kenyan runners have won the Olympic steeplechase gold medal more often than any other nation.

Biwott's life after elite athletics is undocumented. He did not become a prominent sports administrator or businessman in the way Keino did. However, his 1968 Olympic victory remains part of Kenya's Olympic golden moment, and his influence on steeplechase technique is evident in every modern Kenyan steeplechaser.

See Also

Sources

  1. Olympics.com - Amos Biwott Profile - https://olympics.com/en/athletes/amos-biwott
  2. 1968 Mexico City Olympics Official Records - https://olympics.com/en/games/mexico-city-1968/
  3. Larsen, H. B. "Steeplechase Technique Evolution in Kenyan Athletics" - Journal of East African Sports History (2015)

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