Kenya: Paralympians Wawira, Chelagat Among Nominees for Soya Sportswoman Living With a Disability Award

Nairobi — Paralympians Nancy Chelagat and Hellen Wawira lead the names after the shortlist for the Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA) Sportswoman living with disability were released.

Chelagat with an apparent insatiable appetite for success in 2022, maintained her dogged campaign to clinch gold in the T11 400m race in 1.04.25 seconds guided by her brother Geoffrey Rotich during the 2022 World Para athletics grand prix and 13th Fazza International Championship in Dubai.

Chelagat – the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics bronze medalist – also won silver in the T11 1500m race won by Mary Waithera in a Kenyan podium sweep with Nelly Nasimiyu taking bronze.

Her peer in the world of Para-lifting, Wawira, after winning a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, also continues to wield a strong case for the Sportswoman Living with a Disability award.

Wawira who won a gold medal in the world para powerlifting championship in St. Louis, USA with a scintillating lift of 98kg, proceeded to the Commonwealth games in Birmingham where she racked up the bronze medal in the women’s lightweight competition with a best lift of 97kg.

Also, in the nomination list looking to win the coveted award, are the Deaflympics athletics trio of Beryl Wamira, Linnet Nanjala and Serah Wangari.

Wamira clinched silver in the 4x400m Relay and 4x400m mixed Relay at the Caxias Do Sul Deaflympics and settled for bronze in the 4x100m Relay and 200m at the same event.

Nanjala chalked up a silver medal in the 4x400m Relay and 4x400m mixed Relay in Caxius Do Sul.

Wangari, on the other hand, took the 10,000m silver in Brazil opening Kenya’s medal account before clinching bronze in Steeplechase.

It will be interesting to know who among the five will be crowned the sportswoman living with a disability heroine at the prestigious SOYA gala that will fete the 2022 achievers.

Sportswoman of the Year Living With a Disability SOYA Nominees:

Nancy Chelangat – Para- Athletics

Hellen Wawira – Para-lifter

Beryl Wamira – Deaf-Athletics

Linnet Nanjala – Deaf-Athletics

Serah Wangari – Deaf-Athletics

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