Paralympic powerlifters have been urged to intensify training and watch their diet as they battle to secure tickets to the Tokyo Paralympics set for August 24-September 5.
National team coach Lena Marita said many powerlifters have gained weight, which may disqualify them from their respective weight categories at the upcoming World Para Powerlifting qualifying tournaments.
"It is like many of them relaxed and did not train as much during this Covid period. The problem is that when they go to these international competitions, they will not be allowed to compete if they gain even an extra kilo outside of their usual weight categories," Marita said.
She observed that male para-lifters were particularly struggling to lift their expected maximum weight as has been the case.
"Male para-lifters are in most cases expected to lift double their body weight. We noted that most of them were still struggling to lift their maximum weight as expected of them. However, I hope they will sharpen up even as we gear up for this qualifying tournaments," she said.
Marita was speaking at the Steel City Gym in Pangani, Nairobi after para powerlifting trials to select the Kenyan team to the World Para Powerlifting World Cup across five cities in the world.
The tournaments will serve as a qualification process for the Tokyo Paralympics during which the top eight ranked para-lifters in each weight category will earn passage to the global showpiece.
In Thursday's event, world no. 2 in the under-41kg category Hellen Wawira bench-pressed 91kg to enhance her chances of selection to the national team.
She admitted her performance was not her best but vowed to improve in the coming months.
"I was a bit tense because I have been recently unwell due to a flu. However, I tried my best. My target is to now lift at least 110kg and set a new record," Wawira said.
2014 Commonwealth bronze medalist Joyce Njuguna was also peerless in her category as she benched 95kg to state a strong case for inclusion in the team.
"I have not been training as consistently as I would have liked during this pandemic. That's why I have slightly gained weight and have been working hard to reduce it before these trials. I guess that is why I felt slightly weak today," Njuguna said.
In the men's division, Evans Odhiambo (130kg), Peter Odhiambo (100kg) and Joash Otieno (95kg) were the standout stars.
The Kenya National Paralympic Committee will tomorrow submit the names of the nine athletes who will represent the country at the Manchester Para Powerlifting qualifying round on March 25-28.