World Para Athletics Championships: Setback for Kenya as Medal Prospect is Locked Out Over Lateness

Kenya missed an opportunity to fight for a medal at the ongoing World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi, India following an embarrassing incident of lateness.

Long jump star Alex Kivuti was Kenya’s medal prospect in the field event but he failed to participate after learning of his event past time, seeing his hopes and those of the country crushed.

Kivuti was at pains to explain what happened, insisting he arrived well in time but missed out as he did not hear his name being called out.

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“I was to participate at 10am but I did not because of technical errors. I prepared myself and left the hotel at 6 in the morning,” Kivuti told the Kenyan media in New Delhi.

“I went to the field and did my warm up but at 9am when they called out, I was a bit far so I did not hear at first. My coach heard and he came to call me.

“But when we reached the call room, I was late by one minute. I was not able to participate yet this is my event and I know very well I would have won a medal. Looking at the preparation and training I had done before, it hurt, but that is what happened.”

Kivuti says he thought he had been given a second bite of the cherry when he joined the rest of the participants in the field but he was crushed after a change of heart from the officials.

“I tried to talk to the head at the call room and he told me to wait. He even took me to where the rest of the participants were but when we got there, he received a phone call,” he added.

“After the call, he took me outside and told me I cannot participate. I feel bad because I had trained so well since I left Morocco in May. It is like all that has gone down the drain and the time and resources spent makes me feel bad.”

It was a bad day at the office for Team Kenya who have so far won two silver medals through Nancy Chelagat (1,500m) and Sheila Wanyonyi (javelin).