Perina Nakang emerged victorious in both the 400m and 800m senior women’s races during the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Refugee Athlete Scholarship trials, held at the Lorna Kiplagat Stadium in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County.

The trials, aimed at identifying refugee athletes for the 2026 and 2028 Olympic Games, saw Nakang dominate the track with impressive performances.

Nakang was originally a basketball player before switching to athletics, inspired by her friends at the Kakuma refugee camp.

“I saw my friends running, and I became curious. I asked them why they were chasing the wind when there was nothing ahead. After they explained it to me, I developed an interest in athletics,” Nakang said.

Her first major competition took her to the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, marking her first time boarding a plane. She was thrilled by the experience and the opportunity to interact with European athletes.

Nakang fled her home in South Sudan in 2010 due to civil war, escaping with her aunt and siblings before finding refuge in Kakuma, Kenya.

She now sees athletics as a path to a better future. “If you work hard, running can change your life. My goal is to win so I can uplift my family and bring them to Eldoret. If I stay committed to my training, I believe I will win a medal in the future. This year, I am focused on training hard to qualify for the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan,” she added.

Nakang clocked 1:01.2 to win the 400m race, finishing ahead of Josephine Nakang (1:09.8) and Rose Ihisa Uwaro (1:14.7). In the 800m, she clinched the title with a time of 2:22.3, followed by Zinad Akulang (2:27.6) and Josephine Tain (2:51.9).

In the senior men’s 800m, Thon Abraham Guot emerged victorious in 1:57.1, with John Lokibe (2:03.8) and Simon Lomua (2:05.8) rounding out the top three.