The 2023 SOYA Awards, honoring the best in Kenyan sports, will take place on February 23rd in Nairobi. Para-rower Asiya Sururu tops the list of nominees in the Sportswoman with Disability category.
Asiya made history in 2019 as the first Kenyan to qualify for Paralympic rowing and recently secured her spot in the 2024 Paris Games.
Nancy Chelangat Koech, a visually impaired Paralympic athlete, has also been nominated owing to her great form last season.
The Kericho-based athlete flew the county’s flag high by scooping a gold medal after winning the Women’s 1,500-meter T11 race in a time of 4:46.55 at the World Para Athletics Championships.
Ruth Chemurgor from Kapsabet has also made it to the list, this is after she shattered both African and Championships records in the hammer throw with an impressive 21.71m throw at the Africa Deaf Athletics Championships held last year in Nairobi.
Joining them are Purity Chepkirui Kandie (Special Olympics) and Jane Ndegwa (Wheelchair Tennis), highlighting the diverse talents of Kenyan women athletes with disabilities.
The World Para Athletics Championships is the second most important sporting event in the disabled sports calendar after the Paralympic Games and is held every two years with this year’s tournament bringing together 1,330 athletes from 107 nations.