Wilson Kirwa

Who is Wilson Kirwa?

Wilson Kipchumba Kirwa is a Finnish middle-distance runner, representing Lahden Ahkera. He is also a National Coalition Party politician and was elected to Lahti city council in 2008 elections. Kirwa belongs to the Kalenjin tribe.

The Kenyan-born Wilson Kirwa moved to Finland in 1997, and in the same year, he started his career as a runner, with his main distance being 800 metres. He originally intended to only tour the country for a few weeks, invited by his Finnish friends. He was 17th in the "Hunajahölkkä" in Pori, even though he was wearing sneakers that were too large. Porin Tarmo requested a year's residence permit for Kirwa. He was also admitted into the Seinäjoki applied crafts school, which encouraged him to stay in Finland.

In 2000, Kirwa made his own record 1:44.69 in the 800 metres in Lappeenranta. Kirwa is the only man to have won the 400, 800, and 1500 metre runs in the same Championship of Finland games. He also has several Championships of Finland in the relay run. Wilson Kirwa has represented Finland in the European Championship and World Championship games and in many Grand Prix games in Europe.

In 2001, Kirwa married Melanie Anderson of Renfrew, Ontario in Cuba, whom he had originally met in Finland. In 2004, Kirwa received Finnish citizenship. In May 2006, Kirwa graduated as a coach from the Pajunlahti Sports Academy. He spent the year living in Lahti, training, giving lectures, and writing. He published a fairy tale book called Amani-aasi ja sisäinen kauneus, in which he modified the stories he heard in his childhood to suit Finnish people. He has made many visits to schools telling African stories to their child pupils. For the older ones, he tells of arriving and adapting to Finland.