Ogada carries Kenya's medal hope in Paralympics as games end, Friday

Team Kenya at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will be hoping to wind their stay in France with another medal tomorrow as paracyclist Kennedy Ogada takes the course in the Road 127km at 10.30 am tomorrow.

Ogada who is making his debut at the Paralympics, finished at position 11 in men's B1 time trials at position  11th in 47 minutes and 0.67 seconds to miss out on the podium.

Tristan Bangman and his pilot Patrick Boss of the Netherlands won gold in 34.11.2, while French boys Eli De Carvalho and Mickael Giuchard grabbed silver in 34.23.73, as another Dutchman Vincent Schure piloted by Timo Fransman won bronze in 34.53.92.

The 52-year-old, piloted by new guide, former Kenya Sevens International Oscar " Maasai Mzungu" Dennis, found the 28.3km tough, finishing bottom of the log.

He had to get a new pilot in former sevens star Dennis, after his partner Benson Mwaniki was ruled out of the Paris Paralympics just two days before the opening ceremony, after suffering a fractured shoulder and spine in an accident during training in Compiegne, France.

Ogada and Dennis will battle 12 top Para cyclists led by Argentina Gomez Maximiliano piloted by  Tolosa Sebastian Jose, B1 silver medalists Fra de Carvalho Elie and  Guichard Mickael of France, and Britons Bate Stephen alongside Latham Christopher.

Ogada hopes his new Dolan Bike, worth 4,000m euros (Sh580,000), will boost Kenya’s medal chances after two-time world powerlifting champion Hellen Kariuki finished sixth in the women’s under-41 kilograms, despite lifting a personal best of 101 kg.

Out of 14 para-athletes participating across five disciplines in the Paris  2024, Paralympic Summer Games, only Samson Ojuka won silver in the long jump T37m, with a 6.20m jump, underscoring Kenya’s poor show in the City of Love.

Kenya is at position 68 on the medal standings with one silver medal China leads the world Paralympic table standings with 155 medals, followed by Great Britain with 78 medals, while the United States wraps up top three with 71 medals.

This is a far cry from last month's Kenya's Olympic team 11 medal haul, which saw the world beaters finish 17th globally.