Paralympians bring medal haul from Cairo

By Erick Ochieng

The national Paralympics team posted impressive results in winning four medals two of which were silver and a similar bronze haul in the just ended African Regional Paralympics Championship in Cairo, Egypt.

Elizabeth Atieno and Ruth Mueni both scooped silver and Elijah Mwandihi (bronze) and Alfred Simiyu (bronze), all medals coming in Table Tennis.

The men’s national wheel-chair basketball team also displayed splendid performance to finish fourth among ten countries.

Both teams (Table tennis and Wheelchair basketball teams qualified to contest for world championship slots. The table tennis qualified for a place at the World Paraplegic Amputees Championship in India this November. The basketball side booked a berth for a World Cup qualifier in Zambia in October.

The 2002 Commonwealth finalist, Mwandihi, could not hide his feelings as he kept touching the glittering medal draped in his neck.

"I started hunting for an international medal in 2002 in Manchester City but all along it has been a disappointment," Mwandihi said.

The women’s tennis team finished fifth overall, while the men were ranked fourth. Egyptians dominated most disciplines including basketball where they finished tops followed by Cameroon and Central African Republic.

Coach, Nick Ngumbi, said the basketball team is going to rectify their mistakes immediately they resume training. He explained that he is going to make another call-up for national trials to help fill the gaps he observed in Cairo.