Kenyan Legend Mike Boit Inducted Into Belgium's Athletics Hall of Fame

Kenyan athletics legend Mike Boit has been honoured for his contribution to the sport after being inducted into the Memorial Van Damme Hall of Fame in Belgium.

Boit received the recognition during the Brussels Diamond League Final, decades after his historic victory in the 800m race at the inaugural Memorial Van Damme meeting in 1977. 

In a statement on Tuesday, September 8, Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano congratulated Boit on the prestigious recognition, highlighting his historic achievement at the 1977 event.

"Congratulations legendary athletics pioneer Mike Boit on your induction into the Memorial Van Damme Hall of Fame at the Brussels Diamond League decades after a historic 800m win in 1977, your legacy continues to put Kenya on the global map," she wrote.

Miano also linked Kenya’s athletics success to the country’s sports tourism ambitions, noting that the global reputation of Kenyan athletes can be used to attract sports events, athletes and visitors.

"Kenya’s sports dominance remains one of our greatest national assets. Through Sports Tourism, we continue to leverage the global prestige of our athletic heritage to promote Kenya as a premier destination for world-class sports events, high-altitude training, and unmatched travel experiences," she added.

Boit made history at the inaugural Memorial Van Damme meeting in Brussels on August 16, 1977, after winning the men’s 800 metres at the first edition of the event.

The meeting was established in memory of Belgian middle-distance star Ivo Van Damme, who died in a car accident in December 1976 aged just 22. 

Van Damme had won Olympic silver medals in the 800m and 1500m at the 1976 Montreal Games.  

According to the Memorial Van Damme organisers, Boit was also the first Kenyan athlete to become fully established on the international athletics meeting circuit. 

Meanwhile, the Memorial Van Damme Hall of Fame is an honour created by the Brussels athletics meeting to recognise athletes and individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the history and prestige of the event.

It was established in 2017, with the first group of inductees including athletics legends such as Heike Drechsler, Steve Cram, Merlene Ottey, Hicham El Guerrouj, Kim Gevaert, Tia Hellebaut and former meeting director Wilfried Meert.

Previous inductees have included Sebastian Coe, Willie Banks, Gail Devers, Blanka Vlasic and Mike Powell, among other major names in athletics.