Multiple World and Commonwealth Games Para-power lifter medallist Hellen Wawira has one thing on her mind this afternoon as she competes at the ongoing Paralympic Games in Paris: saving Kenya the blushes.
Kenya has yet to win a medal at the Games, raising concerns that it might be one of the team’s worst performances in history.
However, a confident Wawira believes there is still hope as she steps out at Porte de La Chapelle Arena to compete in the 41kg and below category.
“My preparation has been good, both from home and during my month in France. I can say I have improved tremendously in my technique; I did not expect to progress so much in such a short time, and I can promise Kenyans something good,” asserted a confident Wawira after her weigh-in yesterday at the athletes’ village, where she weighed 40.5 kilograms.
She added: “At the Tokyo Games, I lifted 95 kilogrammes and finished fifth. I’m confident of doing better this time around. When I left Kenya last month, I was lifting 95kg, but here I’ve been doing drop sets of 110kg, which gives me a lot of power. I’ve done my part with my coach; now the remaining bit is for God to help us.”
Wawira, who accessed a modern gymnasium only in March this year, has overcome numerous challenges associated with her disability to win many accolades for the country on the international stage.
She has won seven medals—three gold, one silver and three bronze—from international powerlifting events spanning nine years, a significant achievement according to her coach, David Waore.
The medals come from World Cup Powerlifting Championships, World Powerlifting Championships, Commonwealth Games, and African Games.
The only medal missing from her collection is a Paralympic one, which she hopes to win at the Paris Summer Games. With defending champion Guo Lingling from China not in action, Wawira will face, among others, Indonesian Ni Nengah Widiasih, a silver medallist from Tokyo, and the reigning world champion Cui Zhe of China.
The 32-year-old Wawira graduated from Joy Town School for the Disabled in Thika town in 2012 and only took up powerlifting in 2015.
