Multiple Paralympic champion Samwel Mushai is keen to make up for missing the Tokyo Paralympic Games by bagging gold in the 1500 T11 race in Paris when the Games begin at the Stade de France on August 28.

The 37-year-old who dominated the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil missed the Tokyo Games due to a nagging injury, and now as fit as a fiddle, he is keen to rule the roost once again.

 After this year’s Paris Paralympic Games, the visually impaired athlete from Kitale, Trans Nzoia County who is also the Team Kenya captain, has the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games also in his plans.

“The team is currently in high spirits and we are hopeful of winning as much medals as possible. Today we did a morning run for one hour, right now we have jogged for 40 minutes and tomorrow morning we will be working on speed work,” Mushai had hoped to take a double-edged squad to Paris with participation in 1,500m and 5,000m but the opportunity fell on one.

He added: “I was not in Tokyo because of injury, but I fully recovered and I now want to make up for the time lost. I want to make history before I hang my spikes. It’s my dream to complete a hat-trick in Paris before anything else.”

Despite losing his sight at a young age, Mushai has shown incredible determination and resilience. His story is an inspiration to many, demonstrating the power of human spirit and the ability to overcome challenges.

“That hamstring injury really messed me up as it kept recurring, interfering with my training program and that is why I qualified through high performance and not automatically,” said Mushai, the 2008 Beijing silver medallist, 2012 London Paralympics 1,500m T11 and 2016 Rio Paralympics 5,000m T11 gold medallist.

Henry Kirwa is so far Kenya’s most decorated Paralympian with six medals; four gold and two bronze.

Kirwa, 51, who is now the athletics team head coach for the Paris Paralympics, claimed an unprecedented three gold medals from the 2008 Beijing Paralympics in 1,500m and 5,000m T13 and 10,000m T12.

He would then claim the 5,000m T12 victory and bronze in 1,500m T13 from 2016 Rio Paralympics, having settled for bronze in 5,000m T12 at 2012 London Paralympics.

Distance runner Henry Wanyoike is the second most decorated Paralympian with three gold medals; 5,000m T11 from 2000 Sydney and 5,000m and 10,000m from 2004 Athens.

“My target is to win in Paris, God willing, then go for two events in 2028 LA before I can decide whether to quit or not,” said Mushai. “God has been good to me and  I don’t take it for granted. I pray for good health.”

As Team Kenya captain, Mushai is optimistic that his charges will produce better results than in 2021 Tokyo where the country claimed a bronze through Nancy Chelengat in the 1,500m T11.

Mushai said that they have had the best preparations starting with residential training back home in three places in Nandi, Muranga and Nairobi counties before moving to Compiegne.