Kenya's medal chance in the ongoing Paris, Paralympic games hangs in the balance after the track programme ended yesterday at the Stade de France without a podium finish.
Yesterday, Kenya missed another chance for a medal after Mary Waithera managed 4:41.48 to finish fourth while Nancy Chelagat finished fifth in 4:45.10.
Ethiopia's Yayesh Tesfaw set a new world record in the race by clocking 4:27.68. 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.
Kenya sent 14 athletes and seven guides in five disciplines at the Paris Games, but none managed a podium finish in the track events that concluded yesterday, leaving only three more athletes to save the country’s face as the 10-day games enter the business end.
Long jumper Samson Opiyo will line up in the men's long jump T47 finals at 8 pm. Opiyo faces a competitive field of nine long jumpers led by Viktoras Pentaras of Cyprus, Iranian Ali Olfatnia, Brian Lionel Almpellizzeri of Argentina, and Ukrainian Vladyslav Zahrebelnyi.
Meanwhile, powerlifter Hellen Kariuki will be seeking glory in the women’s 41kg powerlifting final on Wednesday at 2.35 pm.
The 2022 world champion paralifter must be at her best to beat ten women powerlifters led by Machado Fragoso Simone of Portugal.
Paracyclist Kennedy Ogada will also line up in individual time trials, tomorrow before concluding with the road race on Friday.
If Opiyo, Kariuki, and Ogada fail to finish in the top three in their competitions, Kenya will bore out of the games without a medal for the first time in the history of the games.
Nancy Chelagat saved Kenya’s blushes by winning a bronze medal in the 1500m T11 race in Tokyo 2020.
