Hope and determination were all that Kenya’s deaf athlete Ian Wambui carried when he left the country on November 14 to compete at the 2025 Tokyo Deaflympics.
From left: Chinese Xu Kuantian, Kenya’s Ian Wambui and David Kipkogei display their men’s 10,000m medals on November 17, 2025 at the ongoing Tokyo 2025 Summer Deaflympics. Wambui won gold, Kipkogei silver, while Kuantian took bronze.
Photo credit: Victor Otieno | Nation Media Group
As the 24-year-old athlete prepares to return home -- arrival day tomorrow-- he is staring at a substantial change in his life. He is entitled to a whopping Sh11 million government cash reward for his impressive performance in Tokyo.
Wambui, a taxi driver, won two gold medals at the Games and, in the process, shattered the world and Deaflympics records.
Before Team Kenya departed for Tokyo for the Deaflympics, Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi assured that each gold medal won would earn an athlete Sh3 million, while silver and bronze medals would attract Sh2 million and Sh1 million respectively in line with the official government reward scheme.
Kenya’s Ian Wambui (right) and his compatriot David Kipkogei (left) display their men’s 10,000m gold and silver medals, respectively, on November 17, 2025, at the ongoing Tokyo 2025 Summer Deaflympics.
Photo credit: Victor Otieno | Nation Media Group
After opening Kenya’s medal account with a gold medal in the men’s 10,000m on Monday last week, Wambui won another gold medal and obliterated the world and Deaflympics records in the men’s 5,000m with a blistering time of 13:52.83 last Monday.
The previous world and Deaflympics records were held by Kenya’s Symon Kibai, who set the mark of 14:02.90 while winning gold at the 2013 Games in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Yesterday, Kenya’s Director of Sports Jaxon Indakwa confirmed that the government will fully reward Wambui for his outstanding performance in Tokyo.
“The government has a cash reward scheme that we will go by, and I can assure you that scheme is going to be implemented,” said Indakwa in Tokyo.
Medallists at the 2025 World Athletics Championships held in October were the first to benefit from the enhanced scheme.
Previously, gold medallists received Sh1 million, while silver and bronze medallists pocketed Sh750,000 and Sh500,000 respectively.
Wambui, who hails from Nyahururu but trains in Maai Mahiu, was overjoyed by the lucrative cash reward coming his way.
From left: James Musembi, Ian Wambui and Nelson Kipkorir after a clean sweep in the men’s 5,000 metres at the Tokyo 2025 Summer Deaflympics on November 24, 2025. Musembi clinched silver, Wambui gold and Kipkorir bronze.
He revealed that he plans to use part of the money to buy land, build his own house and start a business.
“I can do so many things,” Wambui said through an interpreter.
Wambui, who was born deaf, lost his parents at a tender age.
He was raised by his grandmother. He attended Rev. Muhoro Secondary School for the Deaf in Mukurweini Sub-County in Nyeri, and after completing Form Four, decided to focus on athletics.
In his Deaflympics debut in 2022 in Brazil, Wambui won gold in men’s 1,500m and silver in 5,000m. He says he trains hard with pro athletes because life is hard, and his hope is to secure his future through athletics.
He is married, and the couple are expecting their first child.
Newcomer James Musembi and Elikana Rono will receive Sh5 million each for winning gold and silver medals.
Musembi won gold in the men’s 1,500m and silver in the 5,000m.
Rono, on the other hand, successfully defended his men’s 800m title and bagged silver in the 1,500m.
Ian Wambui celebrates with the Kenyan flag after bagging gold in men's 1500m in the 24th Summer Deaflympics at the Sesi Centro Esportivo Athletics Track in Caxias Do Sul, Brazil on May 10, 2022.
Photo credit: Pool | Team Kenya
David Kipkogei will pocket a sum of Sh4 million for winning two silver medals – in the men’s 10,000m and the marathon.
