Hearty welcome for deaf girl who shone at world contest

By Mangoa Mosota

On Wednesday morning, 200 students of Father Ouderaa Secondary School mopped Bery Atieno, as they carried twigs, danced, ululated, and marched to welcome the school brand’s heroine.

Atieno, a Form Four student, had just arrived after winning two medals at the 2012 World Deaf Athletics Championships in Toronto, Canada, last week.

Villagers joined the school community, including pupils from St Mary’s Nyangoma Primary School, and teachers to celebrate Atieno’s feat.

Some students carried the heroine shoulder-high and exchanged their excitement in sign language. The school, which is about 10km from Bondo town, is for the deaf, and both the primary and secondary schools are under the Catholic Church.

Dream come true
In Toronto, the 17-year-old runner won a gold medal in 200m and bagged a silver one in 100m, in the women’s category.

“I am excited. It is a dream come true. This is an occurrence beyond my expectations,” she says, through a translator, her trainer, Daniel Omondi.

Her feat comes as Kenya’s team of 48 participants is set to clinch medals at the Olympics, which kicks off in London today.

Interestingly, Canadian singer Céline Dion in one of her songs, The Power of them Dream, says that one can achieve his/her aspirations through self-belief and hard work.

The 5.9ft tall Atieno seems to have espoused the message in this song.

In March, she won both 100m and 200m races at the National Secondary Schools Athletics competition in Eldoret.

Remarkable zeal
She will represent the country in the East Africa Secondary Schools Games in the two races in Bujumbura, Burundi, next month.

“She is just amazing. Her zeal is remarkable,” says Omondi, revealing that Atieno runs for a minimum of 8km every evening, in a training session she religiously adheres to.

“Sometimes we run for up to 20km to places such as Kaporo, Nango, and Luore,” he says, adding that in the morning she does exercises in the school compound.

The teenager’s parents are joyful over her performance. Bartholomew and Phelister Wamira congratulated their daughter and were at Jomo Kenya International Airport on Monday night to welcome her.

“I cannot believe that my daughter has won medals at an international competition. She has made us proud,” says Phelister.

She adds: “Last week, I was asleep when the headmistress woke me up with the good news. I immediately got out of bed and called relatives and friends to inform them of my daughter’s achievement.”

The institution’s headmistress, Sister Bernadette Agola, was among the people who accompanied Atieno to Canada. Agola called Phelister soon after Atieno won the 200m race last Friday.

She says the teenager competed with runners from 27 countries, with only Kenya and South Africa, having representatives in the 200m race. Kenya emerged fourth in the championship, and was the only African country in the top ten.

Athletic family
Phelister, 45, says three of her eight children are deaf, but they are all athletes. Among them is David Omondi, 25, a student at Karen Polytechnic, Nairobi, who also took part at the Toronto competition, and won silver in the men’s 200m race.
The Wamira family hails from South Asembo area, Siaya County. Wamira is also deaf and was an athlete in his youth. He schooled at St Mary Nyangoma Primary School.
Agola says the young athlete also excels in her class work.
“She often takes position one or two. She is also disciplined,” says Agola. She adding that, when Atieno was four-years-old, she could compete with ten-year-old girls and defeat them.
Atieno’s success in provincial and national competitions in the last two years and her recent achievement in Canada has motivated many students to embrace extra-curricular activities.
Atieno says she plans to work hard and hopes to win gold for Kenya at the Olympics one day.
“But for now, I want to do my very best and beat the Cuban who won the 100m race."