Stency Neema strikes gold for Kenya at World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai
Kenya's Stency Neema poses after winning gold in women's 200m T47 at the ongoing World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai on February 11, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Kenya has sent a team of 17 para-athletes to compete in track, field, and wheelchair events at the Grand Prix, which concludes on Thursday.
- The squad includes notable athletes such as Samson Ojuka, the Paris Paralympics long jump T37 silver medallist, who will compete in long jump, 100m, and 200m.
Multi-talented Stency Neema on Tuesday secured Kenya’s first gold medal at the ongoing World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Neema, 22, clocked 27.77 seconds to win the women’s 200m T47 final, edging out Czech Republic’s Tereza Jakschova (28.30) and Romania’s Tabita Vulturar (30.51), who took silver and bronze, respectively. The T47 category is designated for athletes with upper limb impairments.
Neema’s triumph comes just two weeks after she clinched the Level Two Badminton title at the Egypt Para International Badminton Championships.
The versatile athlete, who made history as one of Kenya’s first para taekwondo players at the Paris Paralympics last year, was thrilled by her breakthrough victory.
"It’s such a good feeling to finally win my first Grand Prix title. These are good signs ahead of the world event later in the year," said Neema, who will also compete in the women’s 100m T47 later in the championship.
Kenya's para athlete Stency Neema on her way to victory in women's 200m T47 at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai on February 11, 2025.
Her ultimate goal is to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics, with her sights set on a podium finish at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships, scheduled for September 26 to October 5 in New Delhi, India.
"My focus is not only to make it to the podium at the world event but also to medal. That will assure me a place at the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics," she added.
Meanwhile, Rajab Chetty, a visually impaired teacher from Lang’ata Road Primary School, secured bronze in the men’s T11/12/20 shot put with a throw of 10.80m. He finished behind Iran’s Amirhossein Alipour Darbeid (14.59m) and Hassan Bajoulvand (12.05m), who claimed gold and silver, respectively.
In other results, Kenya’s John Wambua finished 12th overall in the men’s 1,500m T54 wheelchair race, clocking 4:51.48. The race was won by Switzerland’s Marcel Hug (3:00.57), followed closely by Japan’s Tomoki Suzuki (3:00.97) and Tunisia’s Yassine Gharbi (3:01.01).
Kenya has sent a team of 17 para-athletes to compete in track, field, and wheelchair events at the Grand Prix, which concludes on Thursday.
The squad includes notable athletes such as Samson Ojuka, the Paris Paralympics long jump T37 silver medallist, who will compete in long jump, 100m, and 200m.
Also in the team are seasoned Paralympians Samwel Mushai, the 2016 Rio Paralympics 5,000m T11 champion and 2012 London Paralympics 1,500m T11 gold medallist, and Nancy Chelangat, the 2016 Rio Paralympics 1,500m T11 champion.