Kenyans swept podium places in the T11-12-13 400m race as the team won 23 medals at the just concluded 5th International Athletics Meeting – staged at the Grand Stadium in Marrakesh, Morocco.
The team garnered nine gold, six silver and eight bronze medals to place Kenya second behind Morocco as Nancy Chelagat bagged a double on the final day of competition.
The hosts reaped 53 medals including 21 gold, 17 silver and 15 bronze as Czech Republic finished third. Iraq and Algeria made it to the top five with 15 and 12 medals respectively.
Paralympian Chelagat (T11) led the Kenyan podium party in the T11- 12- 13 (visually impaired classification) 400m race having clocked 1:05.05.
Mary Waithera (T11) timed 1:11.10 for second while Nelly Nasimiyu (T12) was third after stopping her watch in 1:09.25.
Chelagat, who competes in the T11 1,500m and has already qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics in the distance, raked in 562 points with the above performance in the 400m. Waithera, on the other hand, earned 234 points, whereas Nasimiyu bagged 229 for her classification.
The Londiani-based self-trained Chelagat said: “These performances show that my preparation ahead of this outing, between November and February, has come to fruition. I am happy and hopeful that I will make the cut for the Paralympic Games in the 400m too.”
