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Kenyans eye glory in World Para Athletics Championships
Kenya's Caren Jemutai (left) battles Uganda's Prisca Aciro in women’s 100m T46/T47 during the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Marrakech, Morocco on April 26, 2025. Jemutai settled for bronze as Graca Antonina of Poland won the race with Kenya’s Stency Neema claiming silver.
What you need to know:
- Wesley Sang powered to gold in the men’s 1,500m T47/T13 with a time of 4:03.68, edging out Joseph Kiptanui (4:07.46) and Uganda’s Janas Oryema (4:06.85). Sang also claimed silver in the 400m T20/T46, clocking 55.76 behind South Africa’s Idris Safyani (49.11).
- Vincent Mutai impressed in the long jump T20/T46, leaping 6.78 metres to take gold ahead of Mauritius’ Eddy Capdor, who managed 6.65 metres.
Kenya has now turned its attention to the upcoming World Para Athletics Championships, scheduled for September 26 to October 5 in New Delhi, India, following impressive performances at the recently concluded World Grand Prix events in Morocco and Dubai.
An estimated 30 para athletes are expected to represent the country at the global event, based on performances at the Marrakech Grand Prix, which ended on Saturday, and the earlier Dubai Grand Prix held in February.
Paris Paralympian Priscah Jepkemei and John Mukiri led Kenya’s charge in Marrakech, each winning two gold medals.
Kenya collected a total of 26 medals—seven gold, nine silver, and ten bronze (7-9-10)—to finish second overall behind hosts Morocco, who topped the table with 36 medals (10-14-12). The championships drew 335 athletes from 51 countries.
In February, Kenya clinched 16 medals—nine gold, one silver, and six bronze—to place third overall in Dubai.
Kenya National Paralympic Committee (KNPC) president Ronald Milare clarified that qualification for the World Championships will be determined by World Para Athletics based on specific criteria.
“One might have won gold in Dubai and Marrakech but doesn’t meet the standards while a bronze medallist could,” said Milare, expressing confidence in assembling a strong team for New Delhi.
Milare also noted that the Marrakech Grand Prix served as a qualification platform for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, particularly for sprinters and field event athletes. “We shall wait to know how many have qualified for Glasgow,” he added.
Notably, medallists from the New Delhi championships will automatically qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games.
Jepkemei triumphed in both the women’s 1,500m T11/T20 and 400m T11 events. She recorded a personal best of 1:05.48 in the 400m, narrowly beating Cameroon’s Minnette Lyona Ngouegue (1:06.22). In the 1,500m, she dominated with a time of 5:00.48, finishing ahead of Czech athletes Paulina Absolonova (5:17.07) and Martina Absolonova (5:23.57).
Mukiri was equally impressive, clinching gold in the men’s 200m T11 (26.10) and 400m T11/T12, where he clocked a personal best of 54.70 to outpace Uganda’s Fred Masisa (55.16) and Côte d'Ivoire’s Fernand Sylvere Goho (57.12). He also earned bronze in the 100m, clocking 12.55 behind Goho (12.05) and Masisa (12.22).
Multi-talented Stency Neema continued her excellent form by winning the women’s 200m T47 in a personal best 27.05, improving from her Dubai winning time of 27.77. She beat compatriot Caren Jemutai (28.89) and Morocco’s Ikrame Rahioui (31.03).
Neema, who also competes internationally in taekwondo and badminton, secured silver in the 100m T46/T47 with another personal best of 13.06, narrowly losing to Poland’s Graca Antonina (13.04). Jemutai took bronze in 14.27.
Wesley Sang powered to gold in the men’s 1,500m T47/T13 with a time of 4:03.68, edging out Joseph Kiptanui (4:07.46) and Uganda’s Janas Oryema (4:06.85). Sang also claimed silver in the 400m T20/T46, clocking 55.76 behind South Africa’s Idris Safyani (49.11).
Vincent Mutai impressed in the long jump T20/T46, leaping 6.78 metres to take gold ahead of Mauritius’ Eddy Capdor, who managed 6.65 metres.
