Oklahoma State University Athletics
Chase Your Dreams - Victor Shitsama's Journey From Kenya to OSU
October 06, 2021 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
STILLWATER – During his senior year of high school, Victor Shitsama didn't know what he would do after graduating. He had no idea if he would make it out of western Kenya, where he grew up. Shitsama was inspired when his parents told him about a relative in Iten, Kenya, who could help him train for his goal to run cross country in the United States.
After moving in with his uncle in Iten, he began training with the goal of getting recruited to run in the U.S. Now, almost four years later, he's running for Oklahoma State and has his eyes set on the NCAA National Championship this year.
"When I finished my high school, I moved right away to Iten to start my official training," Shitsama said. "In 2016, (OSU) had an assistant coach, Bobby Lockhart, who came to Kenya bringing the under-20 athletes to a championship in Nairobi. He saw me and told me that he saw how I was running and that I was running well, and if I ran a certain time he would give me a chance at OSU. So, that was the biggest thing that motivated me, I put all my money into training and training hard."
After hearing those motivating words from Lockhart, Shitsama set out to achieve his goal of attending Oklahoma State. In 2018, two years after meeting with Lockhart, he started the application process to join OSU.
"I feel it's a privilege for me being here in the U.S.," Shitsama said. "Because I don't think I would have gone to college without it, without getting this scholarship."
Shitsama moved to Stillwater in 2018 and hasn't looked back, earning All-Big 12 Honors in his first indoor season with the Cowboys in 2019. In the 2020 cross-country season, Shitsama was named the Big 12 Cross Country Newcomer of the Year while also getting a new personal best in the Big 12 Championship.
"I feel like it's a home, like I have a family being at OSU because everyone is friendly," Shitsama said. "Everyone is there for you and if you need help, you can talk to everyone, and I just like being an OSU Cowboy."
Now, with two years under his belt, Shitsama is heading into his senior year after earning All-America honors in his junior year and leading the Cowboys to a third-place team finish in the NCAA Cross Country National Championships.
"Finishing third last year is motivation for us to work harder so that we can win this year," Shitsama said. "Also, everyone on the team from my teammates to my coaches, everyone is hungry and feels like we need that championship win."
Shitsama has already hit a personal-best since this year, running 13:53.45 in the 5k this spring. In the Cowboy Jamboree on Sept. 18, Shitsama finished tenth with a time of 23:58.6 which helped lead the Cowboys to a second-place finish.
"For this year, my biggest goal is for us to win the NCAA cross-country national championship," Shitsama said. "For me as an individual, I'm looking to finish top-10 in the cross-country national championship."
Shitsama and the Cowboy Cross Country team will be back in action Oct. 15 in Madison, Wisc. for the Nuttycombe Invitational.
After moving in with his uncle in Iten, he began training with the goal of getting recruited to run in the U.S. Now, almost four years later, he's running for Oklahoma State and has his eyes set on the NCAA National Championship this year.
"When I finished my high school, I moved right away to Iten to start my official training," Shitsama said. "In 2016, (OSU) had an assistant coach, Bobby Lockhart, who came to Kenya bringing the under-20 athletes to a championship in Nairobi. He saw me and told me that he saw how I was running and that I was running well, and if I ran a certain time he would give me a chance at OSU. So, that was the biggest thing that motivated me, I put all my money into training and training hard."
After hearing those motivating words from Lockhart, Shitsama set out to achieve his goal of attending Oklahoma State. In 2018, two years after meeting with Lockhart, he started the application process to join OSU.
"I feel it's a privilege for me being here in the U.S.," Shitsama said. "Because I don't think I would have gone to college without it, without getting this scholarship."
Shitsama moved to Stillwater in 2018 and hasn't looked back, earning All-Big 12 Honors in his first indoor season with the Cowboys in 2019. In the 2020 cross-country season, Shitsama was named the Big 12 Cross Country Newcomer of the Year while also getting a new personal best in the Big 12 Championship.
"I feel like it's a home, like I have a family being at OSU because everyone is friendly," Shitsama said. "Everyone is there for you and if you need help, you can talk to everyone, and I just like being an OSU Cowboy."
Now, with two years under his belt, Shitsama is heading into his senior year after earning All-America honors in his junior year and leading the Cowboys to a third-place team finish in the NCAA Cross Country National Championships.
"Finishing third last year is motivation for us to work harder so that we can win this year," Shitsama said. "Also, everyone on the team from my teammates to my coaches, everyone is hungry and feels like we need that championship win."
Shitsama has already hit a personal-best since this year, running 13:53.45 in the 5k this spring. In the Cowboy Jamboree on Sept. 18, Shitsama finished tenth with a time of 23:58.6 which helped lead the Cowboys to a second-place finish.
"For this year, my biggest goal is for us to win the NCAA cross-country national championship," Shitsama said. "For me as an individual, I'm looking to finish top-10 in the cross-country national championship."
Shitsama and the Cowboy Cross Country team will be back in action Oct. 15 in Madison, Wisc. for the Nuttycombe Invitational.
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