Simon Kibai and Nancy Chelangat to battle for disability award

Double World Deaf Athletics champion Simon Kibai and Tokyo Paralympics women’s 1,500 metres T11 bronze medallist Nancy Chelangat are among the nominees for the 2021 Sportsmen and Women Living with Disability.

The winners in the two categories will be announced during the 2021 SOYA awards gala to be held on the 25th of this month at the Bukhungu Stadium, Kakamega. The gala date had initially been set for 19th, but was moved to 25th January.

Simon Kibai  who won the men’s10,000m and 5000m titles at the Fourth World Deaf Athletics Championships held August in Poland, will battle for the award against Erick Sang and Felix Kipruto, who represented Kenya at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games and Wilson Bii, who won silver in the 1,500m at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai in February.

Kibai claimed the 10,000m gold on the first day of the championships in Poland in a season’s best time of 29 minutes 44.44 seconds before leading David Kipkogei to a 1-2 finish in the 5,000m final in another season’s best of 14 minutes, 25.19 seconds.

Chelangat with her guide Geoffrey Malel, was the only athlete, who won a medal for Kenya at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games with bronze in the T11 1,500m.

She clocked 4 minutes, 45.58 seconds in the final. Chelangat will face-off fellow Tokyo Paralympians, powerlifter Hellen Wawira and rower Asiya Mohammed and Berly Atieno.

Chelangat had earlier clinched two gold medals at the Dubai Para Athletics Grand Prix. She won the 1,500m race in a duo sweep with Mary Waithera where she clocked 4 minutes, 57.51 seconds before sealing a double with victory in the 400m.