Wesley Korir, former Murray State student and Boston Marathon winner, added another victory to his list of accomplishments after recently being elected to Kenya’s National Assembly.
Kenyan citizens voted March 4 to elect a president and various other government representatives into office. Korir won the independent seat and represents the Cherangancy Constituency political party in the National Assembly. Korir is one of 224 members on the assembly.
Kenyan elections are based heavily on party politics, but Korir still managed to win many voters, despite running as an independent.
Korir’s main objective in his new role in parliament is to unite the people of Kenya, despite their differences, toward one common goal of making the country a better place.
Korir moved to Murray from Kenya and attended Murray State from 2003-04. He competed on the men’s track team before transferring to the University of Louisville.
Keith Travis, vice president of physician development at the Murray-Calloway County Hospital, said when Korir visited Murray last May after his Boston Marathon win, he was more than thankful for all the support the Murray community has provided to him and his family.
“He is truly an exceptional person,” Travis said. “Even after only spending one day with him during his visit to Murray, I could tell just how much of an inspiration and hard worker he was.”
Travis said he thinks Korir will do an excellent job in his new role in Kenya’s Parliament and looks forward to seeing what else Korir will accomplish throughout his many endeavors.
Korir will return to the U.S. to defend his title at the Boston Marathon this year on April 15.
Travis said students at Murray State can learn from Korir and all of his accomplishments and know with hard work, anything is possible.
“My main advice to students is to keep a positive attitude and never give up,” Travis said. “That’s the way Welsey Korir has always been.”
Story by Rebecca Walter, Staff writer.