KNPC: Our plan is to have 25 athletes in Paris
Kenya National Paralympic Committee (KNPC) intends to take a team of 25 athletes and 18 guides to this year’s Paris Paralympic Games scheduled from August 28 to September 8.
Seven athletes have so far qualified in athletics, cycling, taekwondo and rowing, while 18 more are still going through the qualifiers in the same events in addition to powerlifting, triathlon and wheelchair tennis.
KNPC secretary-general Stanley Mutuma said the 19 athletes on the path to qualification include nine in athletics, two in cycling, four in powerlifting and one in triathlon and wheelchair tennis.
Kenya had only nine contestants at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, rescheduled to 2021, where the country managed only one medal (bronze) from Nancy Chelangat.
This was a drop in performance from the past three Paralympics in 2008 Beijing, 2012 London and 2016 Rio. In 2016 Rio, the country collected six medals – three gold, one silver and two bronze.
Chelangat (1,500 T11), the sole medallist from Tokyo, is among three from athletics to have punched their tickets to Paris. Others are Mary Waithera (1,500 T11) and Wesley Sang (1,500 T46).
Others are Asiya Sururu, who will be making her second appearance in para-rowing, and Stacy Neema and Julieta Moipo in taekwondo.
Kennedy Ogada, who represented Kenya at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, will be heading for Paris in tandem cycling (double bike), having also qualified.
Athletics will have their last stab at the Paris Olympics dream at the World Para Athletics Championships scheduled for May 17 to 25 in Kobe, Japan.
The Kobe Championships are the final qualifying event for the Paris Paralympics, where all medallists will make it to the Summer Games.
Kenya will be represented by 23 athletes in Kobe who have attained the qualifying standards for the world event during the World Para Athletics Championships in Tunis, Tunisia, last month.
Former Kenya Sevens rugby star Oscar Dennis, who is currently training in South Africa, will be hoping to seal his ticket in the triathlon. “Dennis has several events in Europe, which we hope will give him points to qualify,” said Mutuma.
Others who are in the qualifying pathway are powerlifters Hellen Wawira, the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, and Mariga Ngugi.
International wheelchair tennis player Jane Ndenga also has several international events where she hopes to punch her ticket.
