• DISABILITY SPORTS

• Frank Rotich 6 hrs ago

Team Kenya Para-Cyclists back home to hero’s welcome after medal haul in Nigeria

Team Kenya’s para-cycling team received a heroic welcome at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Wednesday morning after an impressive performance at the 2026 Africa Para Track Cycling Championships held in Abuja, Nigeria.

The Kenyan contingent returned home proudly carrying seven medals from the continental championship, underlining the country’s growing strength in para sports and cycling on the African stage.

The team delivered outstanding performances during the three-day competition staged at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Velodrome from May 9 to May 11, competing against some of Africa’s top para-cyclists.

Among the standout athletes was Samuel Mwangi, who emerged as one of Kenya’s top performers after winning two gold medals in the Men’s Individual Pursuit and the 200m Sprint in the C3 classification.

In the visually impaired category, Anthony Mugwanja, guided by Njaga Gathura, also impressed clinching gold in the Men’s Individual Pursuit B and adding a bronze medal in the Tandem Sprint B event.

Kenya’s women’s team equally impressed, with Ann Nekesa and guide Julia Miringu producing strong performance to secure several medals, including silver and bronze in the Women’s Individual Pursuit B and Tandem Sprint B races.

The strong showing saw Kenya finish among the top-performing nations at the championship behind hosts Nigeria, earning valuable qualification points towards future international competitions, including the Commonwealth Games and the Los Angeles Paralympic Games.

Officials from Team Kenya, family members, and fans gathered at JKIA to celebrate the athletes’ successful campaign, praising the team for flying the country’s flag high on the continental stage.

The achievement is expected to boost the growth of para-cycling in Kenya as the country continues investing in athletes living with disabilities and expanding opportunities in international competitions.