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Gold and bronze for Kenya at Rio Paralympics

By ISAAC SWILA September 8th, 2016 1 min read

Kenya made her intention clear on day one of the Rio Paralympic Games bagging gold and bronze medals in the T11 men’s 5,000m at the Olympic Stadium on Thursday.

Samuel Kimani Muchai put up an energetic performance on the track to claim gold in 15.16.11 with compatriot Wilson Bii settling for bronze in 15.22.06 behind Brazilian Santos who clinched silver in 15.17.35.

Another Kenyan in the race, Erick Kipruto Sang, finished a distance ninth.

Although Muchai bagged the top honours he fell six seconds shy of breaking Henry Wanyoike’s record of 15.11.07 set in Athens, Greece, in 2004.

MEDAL HAUL

The Kenyan trio began the race in an impressive style with Sang leading the pack and they maintained the momentum throughout the first three laps.

Santos, who all along had kept pace behind them, moved to the front with two and a half laps to go. The race became more intense with one and half lap left as Muchai, who was all this time third behind his compatriots and Santos, overtake the Brazilian.

As the leading pack approached the final bend, it became evident that the battle had narrowed to Muchai and Santos, the latter being cheered on by his compatriots in the terraces, but Muchai assisted by his guide James Boit, held him off to win the race.

“I’m proud, they are proud and Kenya is proud. They have opened our medal haul and we expect more to come,” the Kenya National Paralympic Committee chairperson Agnes Oluoch said immediately after the race.