In Compiegne, France
Para rower Asiya Sururu Mohammed is relishing her enormous responsibilities ahead of the Paris Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 8 in the French capital.
Sururu, who is making her second appearance at the Paralympics after her debut at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, is cognisant of that fact after being appointed Team Kenya deputy captain to assist multiple Paralympic champion Samwel Mushai.
"I like getting extra responsibilities since it helps someone to stay focused," said Sururu, who is excited by the pre-games camp in Compiegne, 79.3km northeast of Paris.
"The camp will help us focus and prepare well for the games," explained Sururu, whose three legs and three left-hand fingers were mowed down by an oncoming train after she fell on the rail track at the age of three.
Sururu was over the moon when she debuted at the Paralympics, but says she is now calm and focused on delivery.
"We have been here for three days, the mood in the camp is good and we are adjusting to the weather which is favourable to us," said Sururu, adding that she is amazed by the teamwork and spirit in the camp.
"We are all in a competitive mood right from athletics, cycling, taekwondo, and powerlifting," said Sururu.
Sururu said that in 2021, they didn’t have a camp with everyone training on their own.
"Things are quite different now and we are happy because we had a camp in three places in Kenya before coming to Compiegne. "Tokyo was a good experience even though it shocked me that people were so serious unlike when we met at other championships like the world event.
"It’s a vibe that I didn’t expect," notes Sururu. "I eventually understood since that is the highest stage in any athlete’s career and getting a medal is supreme."
Sururu revealed that the toughest assignment she ever undertook in her life was learning to walk for the first time in 2022.
Sururu got the prosthetic legs worth Sh2 million courtesy of a disability grant from the government just after qualifying for the Tokyo Paralympics.
She was booked at Ottobock Kenya, Ngong Road for fitting and walking lessons. But will Sururu use the legs at the Paris Paralympics?
"No, these are not compatible with the boat I am using. I hope that I get the second pair that is more compatible, but expensive than the ones I have. They will enable me to use any boat for competition," said Sururu.
"The compatible one is over Sh3 million and I am not financially capable of purchasing them," said Sururu, adding that she will consider quitting sports after the Paris Paralympics.
"We found all things set here and the weather is quite favourable for training," said Sururu’s coach Miriam Amakobe. "We hope for the best and improved performance."
"We have been perfecting on how to draw straight, feathering at the right time, and making the boat row smoothly," said Amakobe, adding that Sururu has been a good listener, open to new ideas.
Sururu qualified for the Paralympic Games during the Africa qualifiers held in October 2023 in Regatta, Tunisia.
Sururu set two world indoor rowing records in 2023 – the Concept2 Row ski bike ERG (indoor rowing) of 60 minutes over a distance of 11,243m on October 7. Four days later, she set a new mark of 30 over a distance of 5,610m in the women’s 30-39 PR1.
That saw her declared the Sportswoman with Disability during the 2023 Sports Personality of the Year Awards (Soya) Gala.
She took up rowing in 2018 at the age of 28. She participated in the 2019 International Para-rowing at Gavirate Regatta in Italy, her first international rowing event.
