Kenya ended its athletics-track session without a medal after their medal hopefuls in women’s 1,500metres T11 final failed at the last hurdle despite leading the race in the first three laps at Stade de France.
Kenya had won medals from track since Henry Wanyoike’s victory in 5,000m T11 at the 2000 Sydney before the event on Monday morning.
Things backfired for Kenya when the 2023 world 1,500m T11bronze medalist, Mary Waithera, guided by James Boit, settled fourth in personal best four minutes and 41.48 seconds.
Nancy Chelangat, a bronze medalist from the 2021 Tokyo Games, finished in a disappointing fifth in 4:45.10 as the2024 world 1,500m T11 champion, Yayesh Gate Tesfaw from Ethiopia, won in a new world record time of 4:27.68.
Tesfaw shattered her own previous world record of 4:31.77set in May this year when she won the world title in Kobe, Japan.
He Shan Shan from China clocked an Asian Record of 4:32.82 to bag silver as the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics silver medalist, South African Louzzane Coetzee, came third for bronze in 4:45.25.
“It’s quite disappointing that it didn’t go the way I wanted. I suddenly felt sick last night where I had a severe headache and vomited too,” said Chelangat.
“I sought medical attention hoping for things to improve this morning but it didn’t.” Chelangat said that Team Kenya doctors advised her to withdraw from the race but opted to take a shot.
“I didn’t even take breakfast after I vomited with the headache persisting,” said Chelangat, adding that she lives to fight another.“I really want to apologise to Kenyans for this performance. There is little I could have done after I felt dizzy during the race. It’s not what I wanted…am so sorry,” explained Chelangat.
Chelangat’s guide said he was also disappointed by the turn of events last night. “She was really in pain last night. We had hoped all would be well this morning,” said Rotich.
Waithera was lost for words. “I really don’t know what to do today. Let me compose myself and I will talk later,” said Waithera.
The focus and pressure now turns to jumper Samson Ojuka, who will field in the men’s long jump T37 final at 8pm (Kenyan time) on Tuesday.
Ojuka will be the last Kenyan to participate in athletics. Two more Kenyans are yet to compete, the 2022 world champion, power-lifter Hellen Wawira, who will take the bench in women’sunder-41kg on Thursday and para cyclist Kennedy Ogada, who will field in Time Trials on Wednesday and Road Cycling on Friday.
Whether Ojuka, Wawira and Ogada will rescue the fortunes for Kenya is a matter of wait and see. Kenya has never failed to win a medal at the Paralympics since making its debut at the 1972 Games in Germany even though the country did not send a team for the 1976 United States of America Games