Disabled Kenyan Athletes Hoping For Gold
- By Duncan Larkin
- Published Apr. 1, 2011
They aren’t letting obstacles get in their way.
When one thinks of Kenyan runners, names like the great Robert K. Cheruiyot or James Kwambai come to mind. However, the East African nation has an entire class of runners that pretty much fly under the radar: disabled athletes.
The Daily Nation recently profiled these runners, who include Samuel Muchai. Muchai is a World Paralympic silver medalist and is determined to bring a gold medal back to his home country at the International Blind Sports Association (Ibsa) World Championships and Games in Antalya, Turkey on Friday.
“Despite the challenges that we encounter over our disability, I will strive to bring home two gold medals for the first time at the world championships,” he said.
Muchai notes that the obstacles he faces on his runs only strengthen him and his fellow disabled runners. “While we train on the roads, we sometimes tumble into potholes and stones, but I believe such experiences only harden us,” he said.
Muchai wants his Paralympic team to match the accomplishments of the Kenyan contingent which won the team titles at the recent IAAF World Cross-Country Championships in Punta Umbria, Spain.
For More: Daily Nation
FILED UNDER: News TAGS: Antalya Turkey / blind runners / disabled athletes / East Africa / gold medals / IAAF World Cross Country Championships / James Kwambai / Kenyan Runners / Paralympic Games / Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot / Turkey
Duncan Larkin
Duncan Larkin is the news editor at Competitor.com and a freelance journalist who’s been covering the sport of running for over five years. He’s run 2:32 in the marathon and won the Himalayan 100-Mile Stage Race in 2007. His first running book, RUN SIMPLE, was released last July.