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Ojuka eyes world record at National Para Athletics Championships
Samson Ojuka during a training session at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on July 29, 2024.
What you need to know:
- KNPC Secretary General Stanley Mutuma emphasised the importance of the Dubai Grand Prix for athletes aiming to qualify for the World Para Athletics Championships in Delhi, India, in September and the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
- “This is a full track and field meeting, and we expect surprises from upcoming athletes,” said Mutuma.
Paris Paralympics long jump silver medallist Samson Ojuka is gearing up for a world record attempt at the National Para Athletics Championships, starting Wednesday at the Kenyatta University track.
Ojuka, 28, will join a strong field of competitors at the two-day event, where the Kenya National Paralympic Committee (KNPC) will select a team for the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai, scheduled for February 6 to 13.
The championships will feature top athletes, including two-time Paralympic champion Samuel Mushai (T11), 2023 world 1,500m (T11) champion Nancy Chelangat, and 2023 world 1,500m (T11) runner-up Mary Waithera. Para taekwondo players Julieta Moipo and Stency Neema will also swap their martial arts gear for spikes. Moipo will compete in javelin (F47), while Neema will run in the 100m and 200m (T47).
Ojuka, who resumed training on December 3, moved his training base from Nairobi to Uganda’s Mbarara University and later to Bomet County. “I trained in Uganda before moving to Bomet. All my training routes there were hilly since I want to build the endurance and stamina required during the season,” said Ojuka, who trains under coach Vincent Mutai.
The final-year law student at Kenyatta University secured Kenya’s sole medal at the Paris Paralympics last year with a silver in the men’s long jump T37 category. He set a new African record of 6.20 metres, surpassing the previous mark of 6.05m held by South Africa’s Andrea Dalle Ave since 2015. The world and Olympic record of 6.77m was set by China’s Shang Guangxu at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
“The training has been going on well, and I hope to post good results on the way to Dubai,” said Ojuka, who is refining his technique on the board to maximize his jump. “I lost like 30 centimetres on the board in Paris, a distance that could have altered things. I must hit the board well if the world record is to come along.”
Ojuka has also adjusted his runway distance from 35 to 38 steps and revised his jumping technique to improve his landing. “I have changed my jumping technique for a good landing that was poor,” he added.
Meanwhile, Julieta Moipo is optimistic about her javelin debut. “I have been working on my movement on the runway and can’t wait to take my shot at javelin,” she said.
KNPC Secretary General Stanley Mutuma emphasised the importance of the Dubai Grand Prix for athletes aiming to qualify for the World Para Athletics Championships in Delhi, India, in September and the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
“This is a full track and field meeting, and we expect surprises from upcoming athletes,” said Mutuma.
With the stakes high and the spotlight on top performers like Ojuka, the championships promise an exciting display of talent and determination as Kenya’s para-athletes strive for global recognition.
