The high altitude Nyahururu stadium is a beehive of activity at least three times a week as hundreds of athletes use the facility to conduct speed training.

To guide the runners to cover each lap at a given pace are coaches who shout to the athletes to either slow down or increase pace depending on the time desired for each lap.

“Too slow,” the coach will shout if the runners are not covering the 400m track in set time.

Since a gun is not used for training purposes, a whistle is a handy tool the coach blows to indicate the start of a lap.

But this traditional way of supervising athletes in training is coming under challenge because hearing-impaired athletes have started joining the speed work sessions at the stadium.

Already two athletes of the special category have been joining the rest of the runners during the training session both at the stadium and in endurance sessions on the various earth roads in the countryside.

For now, getting the special runners to follow instructions is not a big challenge because the two who have already joined can read and write.

“There is a Whatsapp group where they are members. We post instructions of the following day’s training programme in Whatsapp for them to stay abreast with what is required,” said coach Francis Kamau of Esmi Training Camp where one of the athletes with hearing disability Geoffrey Kamia has been a member.

Kamia and Ian Kahiga who started training not long ago are the two athletes with hearing disabilities.

The two represent a new generation of people with hearing and speaking impairment who have decided to come out and showcase their talent.

To chase their dreams of becoming known athletes, they have decided to train with normal and elite runners.

The runners’ WhatsApp group is of great help since it enables communication between them and the normal runners also.

“It is easier to communicate on WhatsApp with them because they know how to read and write and, moreover, not many of us understand sign language,” said Dennis Kipkosgei, an athlete.

Kamia and Kahiga are appealing to the concerned authorities to create a conducive environment for people living with disabilities to exploit their talent.

Kahiga who hails from the populous Maina village in the outskirts of Nyahururu town discovered his running talent while in primary school. His elder brother has been supporting him to train.

Kamia and Kahiga dream to become international athletes and inspire people living with disabilities to exploit the talent they have.