• The team bagged two gold, four silver and two bronze medals to surpass the 16 medals won during the previous edition in Samsun, Turkey in 2017.
•Kenya are expected to bag more medals in the men’s and women’s marathons.
Image: ANGWENYI GICHANA
Team Kenya bagged eight medals on the penultimate day of the 24th Deaflympics at Caxias Do Sul in Brazil to increase their medal tally to 24 on Sunday morning.
The team bagged two gold, four silver and two bronze medals to surpass the 16 medals won during the previous edition in Samsun, Turkey in 2017. They were targeting 20 medals in Brazil.
On Sunday morning, Elikana Rono clinched gold in the 800m while two-time Deaflympics champion Simon Kibai completed a double after bagging gold in the 5, 000m. He finished the race in 14:14.81 ahead of compatriot Ian Kahinga, who finished in 14:24.27, while Otto Kingstedt of Sweden was third in 14:44.19.
Kibai had earlier won gold in the 10, 000m race.
Kibai was over the moon after winning his second gold medal in Brazil. “It was not a mean feat. The weather was terrible since it was raining and very cold. However, I’m happy with the gold medal,” said Kibai.
Image: ANGWENYI GICHANA
Speaking after the race at the Sesi Centro Esportivo in Caxias Do Sul, he called on the government to support deaf athletes by offering them employment like their hearing counterparts.
In the 800m, Rono won the hotly contested race in 1:54.75, beating Jammie Morga (1:54.88) of Spain to second place while Michael Kulpa (1:54.91) of Poland finished third. Kenya’s other representative in the race, Brian Kosgei, was fourth.
In the women’s 5, 000m final, Grancy Kendagor won a bronze medal after finishing in 18:16.44 in the race which was won by Sara-Elise Ruokonen (17:33.03).
Lourdes Juarez of Mexico was beaten to second place in 17:33.91. Kenya’s other representatives, Serah Kimani and Lourine Ngonga, were fourth and sixth respectively.
The Kenyan quartet of Beryl Wamira, Linet Fwamba, Sharon Bitok and Pamela Atieno clinched a silver in the women’s 4x400m relay while their male counterparts Isaac Atima, George Waweru, Charles Muthama and Simon Menza settled for a bronze in their event.
It was Wamira’s fourth medal, two silver and two bronze.
Bitok (2:21.57) and Rebecca Matiko (2:22.24) won silver and bronze in the women’s 800m. Anastasia Sydorenko (2:21.11) of Ukraine won gold.
Kenya is expected to bag more medals in the men’s and women’s marathons.
Defending champion and world marathon record holder Daniel Kiptum, Peter Toroitich, David Kipkogei will carry the Kenyan flag in the men’s category.
Double medalist Kendagor and silver medalist Sarah Wangare will represent Kenya in the women’s category.
“The marathoners are very strong and focused on bringing glory to the country,” said coach Kibet Samuel.
Team Kenya medallists: Gold; Lucas Wandia (3,000m s/c), Simon Kibai (10,000m), Simon Kibai (5,000m), Ian Kahinga (1500m), Elikana Rono (800m): Silver; George Waweru, Linet Fwamba, Beryl Wamira and Isaac Atima (Mix 4X400m Relay), Peter Toroitich (10,000m), Serah Wangari (10,000m), Sharon Bitok(15,00m), Ian Kahinga (5,000m), Sharon Bitok (800m), Beryl Wamira, Linet Fwamba, Pamela Atieno, Sharon Bitok (4x400m Relay): Bronze; David Kipkogei (10,000m), Grancy Kendagor (10,000m), Kelvin Kipkogei (Javelin), Linet Fwamba (400m), Isaac Makokha (Golf), Peter Kokobi (3,000m s/c), Ann Wangeci (3,000m s/c), Beryl Wamira (200m), (Beryl Wamira, Rael Wamira, Anzazi Nyundo and Linet Fwamba (4x100m Relay), Rebecca Matiko (800m), Grancy Kendagor (5,000m), Simon Menza, Charles Muthama, George Waweru, Isaac Tong’i (4x400m Relay)