Para athlete Pius Wafula (right) crosses the finish line in the T12 200m race during the Kenya National Paralympics Committee national trials in Eldoret on January 20, 2024. [File, Standard]
Raw talented emerged at the 2026 Para athletics national trials held over the weekend at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Stadium, in Siaya County.
The two-day event featured a 312 para-athletes from 26 counties who battled for national team slots.
The Kenya National Paralympic Committee (KNPC) president Ronald Milare said that the trials were used to select a squad for international duties.
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“The trials served as a primary selection platform for the national squad that will represent Kenya in a series of high-stakes competitions, including the 2026 World Para Athletics Grand Prix circuit and other International Paralympic Committee (IPC) sanctioned events,” Milare said.
Multi-talented para-athlete Stency Neema dominated the women’s T47 100m and 200m women races.
In the T47 100m challenge, Neema, who is also a star in para-badminton and para-taekwondo, eased to victory in a time of 13.0 seconds meeting the global qualifying standards.
She was also unstoppable clocking 27.6 seconds to win the T47 200m race.
Elated with her win, Neema, who hails from Migori, said that she is looking forward to a fruitful season despite not running her personal best at the meet.
“I’m just starting my season and my body is responding extremely well to training. Despite the fact that I didn’t manage to run my personal best in today’s races, I’m still satisfied with my performance.” Samson Ojuka, who won long jump silver medal at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, France, triumphed in the men’s T37 100m race in a qualifying time of 12.6, beating his closest opponent Fred Ochieng by a big gap. Ojuka also made a mark in the men’s T37 long jump with an impressive 5.75m jump.
In the men’s 5000m race, John Lokedi won the T13 5000m race in a time 15:54, while Wilson Bii recovered from a tumble early in his race to win the T11 5000m race in a time of 16:23, beating veteran middle and long-distance runner Samuel Mushai to second place.
Eric Sang was third in a time of 17:01. Lokedi also finished second in the men’s T12/T13 1500m race in a time of 4:05.4 behind winner Victor Cheruiyot who clocked 4:02.6.