• Sururu set a new world record on October 7 last year after covering an impressive 11,243m in 60 minutes on the Concept2 Row ski bike ERG.
• Ndenga showcased her prowess by winning the Nairobi Open 11 Futures singles and reaching the quarterfinals of the first Africa Para Games in Ghana.
Image: COURTESY
Rowing sensation Asiya Sururu is among five athletes who will be battling it out for the top award in the Sportswomen Living with Disability category during this month's Sports Personality of the Year Awards.
Sururu set a new world record on October 7 last year after covering an impressive 11,243m in 60 minutes on the Concept2 Row ski bike ERG.
She will face formidable competition from national wheelchair tennis champion Jane Ndenga, Special Olympics gold medallist Purity Jepkirui Kandie, Para athletics marvel Nancy Chelangat and Deaflympics star Ruth Chemurgor.
SOYA Panel, Chris Mbaisi, emphasised the importance of exploring new horizons in sports, applauding those who venture into uncharted territories.
“The panel of judges has in recent years nominated several individuals and teams across various categories who have ventured into new sports disciplines. As a country, we are exploring new horizons and excelling in them. We encourage budding sportsmen and women to cast their nets wide and venture into new sporting activities,” Mbaisi noted.
Sururu's October triumphs extended beyond the world record as she clinched another milestone, covering 5,610m in just 30 minutes in the women's 30-39 PR1 category. Both records have been verified by the World Rowing Federation.
Sururu's prowess in the regatta qualifiers in Tunisia, where she won the PR1 women’s single sculls (12:44) earned her a spot in the Paris Paralympics Games, making her the first Kenyan rower to qualify for two Paralympics games.
In addition, Sururu had also won an adaptive rowing event in Oxford City, the Royal Regatta and the Rowing World Cup2 in Varese, Italy.
Ndenga showcased her prowess by winning the Nairobi Open 11 Futures singles and reaching the quarterfinals of the first Africa Para Games in Ghana.
She also won Kenya's only silver in doubles alongside Phoebe Masika at the games.
Special Olympics athlete Kandie, from Kitale Special School, stamped her authority with a gold medal in the 50m race at the 2023 Special Olympic Games in Berlin.
She then took part in the standing long jump, where she won a fourth-place ribbon.
Paralympian Chelangat continued to make headlines after claiming gold in the 1500m (T11) race at the 2023 World Para-Athletics Championship in Paris. Here she set a championship record of 4:46.55 minutes to erase the old mark of 4:47.71 set by China’s Zheng Jin in 2015.
Chelangat also won gold in the 2023 Grand Prix in Marrakech in the 1,500m (T11) race in 4:52.36 ahead of Mary Waithera. She also competed in the 400m T11 race, where she bagged bronze with her brother Geoffrey Kiplangat as the guide in all races.
Deaflympics star Chemurgor dominated the 2nd Africa Deaf Athletics Championship in Nairobi, securing the hammer throw title with a championship record of 21.73m. She also completed a remarkable double by winning the discus throw with a mark of 20m.