Kenya para-rower Asiya Mohammed is grateful that her journey in the sport and determination has been finally recognised by the country.
Mohammed was among 30 past and present sportspersons who were feted for their contribution to sports development in Kenya as part of the Mashujaa Day celebrations.
"Yes, I received news about the award although I am currently out of the country. All in all, I am happy to be feted by my country. Life is all about growth and change and the process is not for the faint-hearted," Mohammed said.
Mohammed's story is the epitome of using lemons to make lemonades: disabled by a train accident at two years old, she overcame her initial setbacks to make history as Kenya's first female rower at a Paralympics event when she competed at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.
The Mombasa-born rower went all the way to the finals of the women's single sculls where she ranked 12th after timing 14:27.28.
Previously, she had finished fourth and fifth in the heats and repechage of the same event.
Mohammed said Tokyo was an eye-opener for her from where she harnessed many lessons.
"Winning is where good preparations meet the desired opportunity. You have to work hard for you to reach your destination," she said.
She is currently in Montfermeil, France to compete in the Montfermeil Wheelchair Tennis Open, which commences on Thursday and ends on Sunday.
Also feted on Mashujaa Day was Peter Kalae, president of the Kenya Sports Federation of the Deaf who described the award as a perfect reward for his efforts to improve deaf sports in the country.
"Although I was unable to attend due to limits on the number of participants allowed, I feel great. Apart from being the founder of KSDF, I was also the founder of Confederation of Africa Deaf Sports and its first president from 1997-2016," Kalae said.
He further said the recognition has motivated him to soldier on with the vision of increasing the number of disciplines in deaf sports in the country.
"My vision is to increase deaf sports disciplines like deaf badminton, cycling, handball, karate, swimming, tennis and volleyball and for them to feature at next year's Deaflympics in Brazil. During the 23rd Summer Deaflympics Games held in Turkey in 2017, we had athletics, basketball and golf," he said.
Other differently-abled sportspersons feted include Paralympics 1500m bronze medalist Nancy Chelangat and her guide/brother Geoffrey Kiplangat, Africa 1500m bronze and 400m silver medalist Wesley Sang, 2016 Morocco and Tunis Grand prix 5000m champion Eric Sang and 2017 Deaflympian golfer Isaac Makokha among others.
Full list of awardees:
1. Peres Jepchirchir (Olympic women's marathon champion)
2. Lawrence Cherono (2019 Boston and Chicago Marathon champion)
3. John Bob Oyugi (former Harambee Stars' player and football talent developer)
4. Delilah Asiago (2006 Dubai Marathon champion; 1995 Road Racer of the year)
5. Ricky Solomon (former Harambee Stars player; director, Mwenge Sports Centre)
6. Linus Wachoka Masheti (2003 African Games wrestling bronze medalist; Naivasha Prisons wrestling coach)
7. Millicent Busolo (2013 Africa Club Netball Championship winner; Netball Federation Secretary General)
8. Joseph Cheromei (1991 New Delhi 5000m bronze medalist; athletics coach)
9. Abudu Juma (1988 Seoul Olympics bantam weightlifter)
10. Felix Kipkoech (2021 Berlin Half Marathon champion)
11. Peter Kalae (founder of KSDF; former Kenya Breweries player)
12. Dickson Manyange (national deaf handball player)
13. Isaac Makokha (top deaf golfer and 2017 Deaflympian)
14. Moses Mathenge (Three-time gold medalist in boxing at East Africa Military Games)
15. Sudhir Solank (Former national cricket team player)
16. Jennifer Kamande (former international para swimmer; national para swimming coach)
17. Eric Sang (2016 Morocco and Tunis Grand Prix 5000m champion)
18. David Korir (long-serving para-athlete guide)
19. Wesley Sang (Dubai Fazza Grand Prix gold medalist in 1500m, 5000m and 800m)
20. Geoffrey Kiplangat (long-serving para-athlete guide)
21. Asiya Mohammed (First female rower at the Paralympics)
22. Nancy Chelangat (2016 Rio Paralympics silver medalist; 2020 Tokyo Paralympics bronze medalist)
23. Rose Tata Muya (1987 All Africa Games silver medalist)
24. Stephen Kamande (2018 World Masters Athletics gold medalist in half marathon and 10k)
25. Richard Juma (1973 All Africa Games 10,000m gold medalist; 1974 world bronze medalist)
26. Ruth Chepngetich (world marathon champion; 2021 Chicago Marathon champion)
27. Humphrey Khayange (former national sevens rugby player; chair NOC-K athletes' commission)
28. Winnie Adoyo (Sports sign language interpreter)
29. Duncan Kuria (quarter-finalist, 2018 Commonwealth Games)
30. Dennis Oliech (Former Harambee Stars' captain and Kenya's leading goalscorer).