To live with a disability is not to live without ability. Losing sight did not end the world of Paralympian Victor Kibet Cheruiyot; instead, it rewrote it, transforming hardship into purpose and adversity into excellence.
Cheruiyot, 27, is a T12 category Paralympic athlete specializing in the 1,500 metres and 5,000 metres track events. The T12 classification is for athletes with significant visual impairment who retain limited residual sight.
Despite the challenges posed by his condition, Cheruiyot has represented Kenya at the 2025 World Para Athletics Grand Prix and the 2024 National Para Athletics trials held at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret, where he finished second in both the men’s 1,500m and 5,000m races.
The third-born in a family of five, Cheruiyot hails from Kaminjeiwet village in Bureti Sub-county, Kericho County. Raised in a humble background, he nurtured ambitions of becoming a lawyer from a young age. Unlike many visually impaired athletes, Cheruiyot was not born blind. His visual challenges emerged gradually during his primary and secondary school years.
He recalls that sitting at the front of the classroom was often the only way he could read what was written on the blackboard. Compounding his visual struggles were persistent financial hardships that repeatedly interrupted his education. Determined to progress academically, Cheruiyot sat for his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination four times, hoping that a good performance would attract a well-wisher to help pay his secondary school fees.
“After sitting for my KCPE exam in 2013, I was forced to repeat the national examination four times, not because of poor performance, but due to my parents’ inability to afford secondary school fees,” said Cheruiyot. “During this period, I continually applied for scholarships, hoping and praying that a well-wisher would support my secondary school education. Despite these challenges, I never gave up on my dream of joining university to study law and become a top-notch lawyer.”
His breakthrough came in 2017 when he was awarded the Wings to Fly scholarship by Equity Bank, enabling him to join Litein High School. However, his academic journey took a difficult turn in Form Two when his vision began deteriorating rapidly. He sought treatment at several local hospitals, but his condition worsened with time.
Eventually, Cheruiyot was diagnosed with exotropia, a progressive eye condition that led to severe vision loss. Before the diagnosis, he moved through life visually and instinctively, never imagining that he would one day lose his sight. As his vision declined, reading became increasingly difficult, casting doubt on his long-held dream of pursuing a university education.
“From the year 2017 when I joined Form One to the time I was in Form Four, I experienced numerous vision-related challenges,” he recalled. “I remember fainting during a class session and being hospitalized. In Form Three, a CT scan revealed a compressed nerve on the right side of my brain. At times, I felt like giving up on my studies, but something deep inside pushed me to persevere.”
In a bid to cope mentally with his deteriorating eyesight, Cheruiyot formed the Litein Boys Orphans Association while in Form Four. The group provided him with emotional support as he struggled to accept that his vision was gradually fading.
Despite the immense challenges, Cheruiyot excelled academically, scoring an A minus grade in the 2020 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination. With his academic future uncertain due to his vision, he applied to join the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in 2021.
He successfully passed the recruitment tests and placed second in the physical assessment, which included a grueling five-kilometre run. However, a comprehensive medical examination, particularly on his eyesight, led to his disqualification.
Unable to restore his vision and forced to rethink his future, Cheruiyot sought a new direction in 2022. That same year, he met marathon runner Dominic Langat, whose candid conversation helped him confront reality and embrace a new purpose.
“My marathoner friend Dominic Langat told me frankly that I was sightless and needed to accept my condition,” said Cheruiyot. “I realized I had been in denial for years. Accepting my condition gave me room to focus on para athletics.”
Langat introduced him to Paralympian Erick Sang, who represented Kenya at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, and later connected him to para athletics coach Beatrice Langat, who currently mentors him.
Under Coach Langat’s guidance, Cheruiyot has flourished. He trains twice daily, dedicating one hour per session, and has posted impressive personal best times in both local and international competitions.
“Victor is doing very well in both local and international competitions and is among the best Paralympic athletes in the country,” said Coach Langat. “He is focused, disciplined, and committed to his training.”
Currently, Cheruiyot is preparing for the 2026 World Para Athletics Grand Prix scheduled to take place next month in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He says his focus is on continuous improvement and representing Kenya with pride on the global stage.
“My focus is to perform well and set myself up for future success in international races,” he said. “I trust in God. I am in good shape, and I have hopes of winning. I am confident I will not disappoint my Kericho team and my country.”
From a struggling pupil forced to repeat primary exams due to poverty, to an A-minus student and now a rising Paralympic athlete, Victor Kibet Cheruiyot’s journey is a testament to resilience, faith, and the unbreakable human spirit.
By Sarah Njagi
