Kenya's Sprints Coach Recounts Painful Stray Dog Bite at World Para Athletics Championships in India

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Kenya's Sprints Coach Recounts Painful Stray Dog Bite at World Para Athletics Championships in India

Abigael Wafula 13:16 - 03.10.2025

Dennis Mwanzo has opened up about a frightening stray dog incident that disrupted his time at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi.

Kenya’s sprints coach Dennis Mwanzo has shared his frightening ordeal after being bitten by a stray dog during the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, India.

New Delhi is home to a massive stray dog population, with estimates suggesting nearly a million in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).

Their presence poses a delicate challenge, balancing animal welfare with serious public health risks, including rabies transmission and frequent dog bite incidents.

Dennis Mwanzo became one of the latest victims while assisting an athlete during warm-up for the 200m, highlighting the growing safety concerns around the championships.

Dennis Mwanzo Attacked by Stray Dog in New Delhi

Dennis Mwanzo Attacked by Stray Dog in New Delhi
Dennis Mwanzo Attacked by Stray Dog in New Delhi

Dennis Mwanzo recounted that while assisting Stacey Obonyo during her 200m warm-up, he was unexpectedly bitten by a stray dog.

He explained that the incident happened as he was adjusting her starting blocks, and though he initially mistook the grip on his leg for a person, he soon realised it was a black-and-white dog.

However, he pointed out that he has since sought medical treatment, noting that other victims, including a Chinese woman, were also receiving care at a clinic set up specifically for dog bites.

“We have been here in New Delhi for the Para Athletics Competition. In the morning, while warming up with Stacey Obonyo for the 200m, we had just finished and were working on block starts. I bent down to fix the clips for her, and suddenly I felt a grip on my leg,” Dennis Mwanzo explained.

“At first, I thought someone was holding me, but when I turned, I saw it was a black-and-white dog. I struck it to free myself. I’ve since been treated at the hospital, as we don’t know if the dog had been vaccinated.

“While there, I met a Chinese woman and two others who had also been bitten. They even have a clinic specifically for dog bites.”

The championship, which kicked off on September 27, is set to run until October 5. With Dennis Mwanzo and the Kenyan team scheduled to return home on October 6, he will resume his treatment in Kenya. He has been provided with medication to cover the injection he will miss during travel.