Veteran para athlete Mushai leads strong Kenyan team for world event

Multi-paralympic medallist Samuel Mushai Kimani has been named in a squad of 13 athletes for the World Para Athletics Championships scheduled for May 17 to 25, this year in Kobe, Japan.

The World Para Athletics Championships is the final athletics qualifier event ahead of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.

The team of nine men and four women will have three guides and four coaches.

The Kenya National Paralympic Committee (KNPC) secretary general, Stanley Mutuma, is optimistic that the country will qualify more than nine athletes for Paralympics from Kobe championships.

Seven Kenyan para athletes have so far qualified for Paris Paralympics in four disciplines - athletics, cycling, taekwondo and rowing.

Out of the seven qualifiers, three are from athletics - Nancy Chelangat (1,500 T11), Kenya's sole medallist from the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Mary Waithera (1,500 T11) and Wesley Sang (1,500 T46).

Kenya was represented by five athletes in athletics at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. They are Chelangat, multi-Paralympic medallist Samuel Mushai Kimani, Eric Sang Kiptoo, Wilson Bii, and Rodgers Kiprop.

Eldoret-based visually impaired athlete Mushai hopes for good fortunes in Kobe as he chases a chance for a fifth Paralympics appearance.

Mushai, who lost his sight at the age of nine after an illness, has three medals from the Paralympics - two gold and a silver. He will compete in the men's 5,000m T11 in Kobe.

“It’s my dream to make it to my fifth Paralympic Games. I didn’t perform well in Tokyo because I was coming from a nagging injury,” said Mushai, who is currently training with the middle and distance athletes in Nandi.

“God has been good to me. I don't take it for granted. I call for his mercy and good health as we prepare for Kobe,” explained Mushai, the 2017 Sports Personality of the Year (Soya) winner.

Mushai won 1,500m T11 silver at 2008 Beijing Paralympics, which he improved to gold four years later at the 2012 London Paralympic Games in a World and Games Record 3:58:37.

Mushai, the 2017 London and 2019 Dubai world 5,000m T11 champion, went on to seal a double at the 2016 Rio Paralympics with victory in the 5,000m T11.

In Rio, Mushai stunned a rich elite field that included Brazil’s seven-time world champion and home favourite Odair Santos, who led with two laps to go, to triumph in 15:16.11, shying just five seconds of the world record set by his countryman Henry Wanyoike back in 2004.

Mushai competed in the 1,500m and 5,000m T11, but failed to make the podium in Tokyo. 

Others going to Kobe are visually impaired athlete Bii who lost the battle to Mushai and Santos in 2016 Rio in 5,000m T11 to settle for bronze, and Sang.

Bii has represented Kenya at two Summer Paralympics, beginning in London in 2012, where he competed in the 5,000m T11 but failed to finish the race before striking bronze in Rio four years later.

Sang and Bii competed in the 1,500m T11 Tokyo but while Bii exited in the preliminaries, Sang reached the final to finish sixth in 4:21.53. Brazilian Yeltsin Jacques won in a World and Games Record 3:57.60, erasing Mushai time from Rio.

Kiprop and Bii teamed up in the 5,000m T11 final in Tokyo but finished fourth and 10th respectively as Jacques sealed a double.

Team Kenya

Women

1. Sheila Wanyonyi (Javelin F13 F12/13)

2. Sylvia Olero Atieno (Discus Throw F64)

3. Nelly Sile Jeptoo (Javelin F55/56)

4. Priscah Jepkemei (200m, 400m, 1,500 m T11- Guide Kenneth Lagat)

Men

1. Vincent Mutai Kiprono (Long Jump T45/46/47)

2. Rajab Chetty (Shot Put F11)

3. Nathan Kemboi (Javelin F45/46)

4. Samson Opiyo Ojuka (200m, Long Jump T37)

5. Brian Esogon (400m T12)

6. Evans Ruto (1,500m T45/46)

7. John Lokedi (1,500m, 5,000m T13)

8. Samuel Muchai (5,000m T11- Guide Jean Kipchumba)

9. Eric Sang Kiptoo (1,500m, 5,000mT11- guide Andrew Ndiema)

Coaches

Joseph Lomong, Steven Wesonga, Caroline Kola, Joseph Musonic.