He started competing at the top level in 2008, winning competitions in Italy (cross and road races) and working under two Italian coaches, Renato Canova and Gabriele Nicola.

After that performance, Wilson was selected for the African Championships in Nairobi, where he won in the 10,000 m gold medal, beating Moses Ndiema Kipsiro.

[13] Despite being the pre-race favourite for the Berlin Half Marathon, he was beaten into second place by the lesser-known Denis Koech, although he ran a personal best time of 59:15 minutes.

[14] He secured his first place on the Kenyan Olympic team at the 2012 Prefontaine Classic, winning the 10,000 m trial race with a personal best of 27:01.98 minutes.

[16] He had a poor showing at the Hamburg Marathon, coming fifteenth in 2:19:20 hours, then failed to finish at the Kenyan 10,000 m trials.