Waithera, Chelagat finish 4th in women's 1,500m T11 Paris Paralympics

Team Kenya will wait longer to win a medal at the ongoing  Paris 2024 Paralympics games after debutant Mary Waithera and Nancy Chelagat finished fourth and fifth respectively in the women's 1,500m T11 finals race this morning. 

Ethiopia's Yayesh Tesfaw set a new world record in the race by clocking 4:27.68, this morning.  

China’s He Shanshan finished second in 4:32.82 to grab silver, while South Africa’s Louzanne Coetzee finished third to clinch bronze in 4:35.49 at the Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France

Kenya missed another chance for a medal after Mary Waithera managed 4:41.48, to finish fourth just outside the medal bracket, while Nancy Chelagat finished fifth at 4:45.10.

Chelangat, could not replicate the form that saw her grab silver in the 2016 Rio and bronze in the 2021 Tokyo Para Games.

The 2023 world 1,500m T11 champion, edged out defending champion Olivia Rodriguez of Mexico, who came third in 5:00.23, failing to advance in the second heat, to qualify for the finals in a season’s best time of 4 minutes and 55.24 seconds.

Waithera on the other hand clocked 4:50.42 to finish second in heat one yesterday.

Waithera was guided by James Boit, while Chelangat had Geoffrey Kiplangat Rotich by her side in the three-and-three-quarter laps race.

Kenya will now switch attention to tomorrow’s schedule as Samson Opiyo lines up in the men's long jump T47 finals at 8 pm.

On Wednesday, Hellen Kariuki will be seeking glory in the women’s up to 41kg final at 2.35 pm, at the La Chappele arena.

Kenya still has zero medals at the ongoing Paralympics games after day six of the Para games.  

China leads the world standings with 76 medals, followed by Great Britain with a total of 43 medals, while the USA closes the top three bracket with 33 medals.