Premium
Kenya claim 12 medals at Para Track African Championships
Kenya’s Kennedy Ogada piloted by compatriot Oscar Dennis race in the Paris 2024 Paralympics cycling men’s 28.3km individual time trial at Clichy-sous-Bois, on September 4, 2024.
What you need to know:
- The para track event will pave way for the African Track Championships (able-bodied riders) that ends on Friday at the same venue.
- Kenya has not sent any cyclists to the event. Kenya hosted the African Road Cycling Championship in Eldoret in October year.
Kenya has won 12 medals at the Para Track African Championships at the Cairo International Velodrome, Egypt.
Samwel Mwangi, a C3 class rider and Dedan Ireri, competing in C2 class, claimed three gold medals each as visually impaired female rider Felistus Kaveva claimed three silver medals in the B category.
Paralympian Kennedy Ogada, who is also visually impaired, collected three bronze medals in the men's B contest.
Para Track Cycling is held in velodrome track that resembles athletics indoor track that is curved like a bowl.
The C3 category is for cyclists with below-the-knee amputation, C2 are for cyclists, who have above-the-knee amputation while B class is for visually impaired cyclists, who use pilots to compete on tandem bicycles.
The categories are combined in case of low turnout with results being separated by categories for instance the C2 and C2 classes.
Mwangi only faced one rival Aymen Ahmed from Egypt in men’s elite C3 sprints, C3 scratch and C3 pursuit while Ireri was the only contestant in C2 Sprint, C2 1km time trial and C2 scratch.
Kaveva lost the battle to Nigeria’s Favour Omo Ojiaebu in B pursuit, B sprint and B time trials respectively.
Scratch is where two riders start together and the winner is the first to get across while individual pursuit is where two riders compete on a velodrome, aiming to catch the other or achieve the fastest time.
Sprints involve between two and four riders, though it is usually run as a one-on-one match race between opponents who, unlike in the individual pursuit, start next to each other.
"It was a good event and I got the much needed exposure competing with C2 riders, who are much stronger," said Ireri.
The para track event will pave way for the African Track Championships (able-bodied riders) that ends on Friday at the same venue.
Kenya has not sent any cyclists to the event. Kenya hosted the African Road Cycling Championship in Eldoret in October year.
