Long jumper Samson Ojuka is confident of a podium finish at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games where he will be making a debut after staging an impact at the world championships.

The fourth year law student at Kenyatta University yesterday told People Sport that he was enjoying his training in Compiegne where Team Kenya has pitched camp before the Games begin, and strongly believes that his current for would earn him a medal at the event which starts on August 28.

“My preparations are going on well and I’m confident to get a podium finish. It’s already a great hounour to represent the country at this level. The facilities in Compiegne are first class as well as the diet, we hope to bring the country as many medals as possible,” Ojuka said.

He added: “Despite making a debut at the Paralympics, I have been in two world championships, so I have some big events experience and I can say I’m well prepared for the challenge ahead. Ojuka (Long Jump T37) and Sheila Wanyonyi (Javelin F12) are some of the debutants in Team Kenya for the Games.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) granted Kenya three open slots for athletes, who achieved high performance after the World Para-Athletics Championships held June this year in Kobe, Japan.

IPC issued two direct slots to Ojuka and Wanyonyi following their good show at the World Para-Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan where they chalked career best performances.

Ojuka scaled to personal best 5.73m to finish sixth in long jump at the world championships in Kobe where Wanyonyi managed 30.52m for eighth place.

Ojuka will be in action on September 3 when the T 37 long jump final will be held at the Stade de France.

Meanwhile, as they finalise their preparations for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, members of the Refugee Paralympic Team have taken part in a training camp in Reims, France, at the Centre for Resources, Expertise and Sport Performance (CREPS).

Organised by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) with the support of the French Ministry of Sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games and Paris 2024, the training camp runs from 12 to 21 August and is the first time the athletes have come together as a team.

In addition to final training sessions and providing access to sports medicine experts at CREPS, the athletes have taken part in team bonding sessions, given interviews to the world’s media and received the official Asics kit they will wear during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Paris 2024 will be the third consecutive Paralympic Games where the IPC has established a Paralympic Refugee Team. According to London 2012 Paralympian and Paralympic Refugee Team Chef de Mission, Nyasha Mharakurwa, the group is the most prepared yet.

“It was fantastic to bring the team together for the first time to benefit from such world-class sport at CREPS in Reims as we put the finishing touches to our preparations for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. The IPC has been determined to ensure this is the best prepared RPT yet and this first ever training camp for the RPT has ensured our team is as ready as possible thanks to the incredible hospitality of our hosts,” Mharakurwa said.