Paralympian Tarbei switches to coaching afterquittibng track

Former double Paralympic Games champion and record holder Abraham Cheruiyot Tarbei has switched to coaching after many years on track and roads.

Tarbei, the 2006 World Para Athletics 5,000m and 1,500m champion, said he has been forced to join the coaching ranks after the International Paralympics Committee (IPC) altered his T46 category.

In 2013, IPC changed the T46 category to T47, where the longest race is 400m and he could not cope.

Tarbei, who made his international debut in 2003, said he was unable to operate under the new regulations in his category and had to quit Para-running to focus on commercial marathon running.

“For the past few years, I have been engaged in coaching and I still want to focus on churning new talent in the 1,500m and 5,000m, where I thrived as an active runner. I love the two events so much because I know all the winning tactics. I feel this is the time to share my knowledge with upcoming athletes and make them cut a niche for themselves,” said Tarbei.

He said coaching is less like running and comes with similar challenges. “It is not easy because, like an athlete, you need financial back-up to operate. For you to operate, you need food and this costs money. Nurturing talent from the grassroots to the national championships is not easy.

“Since I retired, I have not stopped engaging in sports. After leaving the Paralympics, I decided to compete in a marathon and I won my first half marathon in 62:00 despite my challenges. I also competed at the 2019 Standard Chartered Marathon, finishing 10th in 2:15 hrs. If I am told today that my T47 covers 1,500m and 5,000m, I will go back very fast to active running,” he said.

With the Paralympics set for Paris, France in September, Tarbei says some of his athletes have cut into the team.

“I have been sharing with them my journey that started at the 2006 World Para Athletics in Christchurch, New Zealand, where I won two gold medals. Since that time, I have been running without looking back. In 2007 went to the Africa Games in Algiers, where I won two gold medals and the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China, where I also won two gold medals. I went ahead to win the 1,500m and 5,000m at the 2012 Paralympic Games in England in world record time,” he explained.

“I changed my life after London because the responsibilities were weighing heavily on my shoulders being a father of three.

These children had to be clothed, eat, and educated among other things and I needed to think outside the box. So, I invested the little money I had earned from the track and this is what is keeping me up to date,” he added.

He says that he only learned of his disability after finishing secondary school since he used to compete in the 3,000m steeplechase.

“While growing up, I did not know that I was disabled until I sat for my Form Four exams. I used to run the 3,000m steeplechase both in primary and high school and I have many certificates to show. In 2006, I won a 3,000m steeplechase at the national schools games while in Form Four. After school, I was introduced to the Paralympics and that is how my story as a person living with disability started,” he said.