More than 200 pupils from special schools participated in the annual Shoe4Africa two-kilometre malaria awareness race held in Iten at the weekend.Mathew Birir, the 1992 Barcelena Olympics steeplechase champion, joined the pupils –who are mentally or physically challenged or have impaired hearing – in their run along the hilly and snaking roads.
The contest, sponsored by the Netherlands-based organisation, brought together three special schools – Mindililwo School for the Mentally Challenged, Kobil School for the Physically Handicapped and hosts Iten School for the Deaf.
Kipchumba Cheserem of Iten won the boys’ race in the hearing impaired category. His schoolmates Kipchumba Bartilal and Kipkurui Koech were second and third.
Anothet Iten pupil, Ann Amagobe, lifted the girls’ title in the hearing impaired category. She beat schoolmates Sharon Jebiwott and Irene Jebet, who were second and third.
Raymond Koech, Kipngetich Yator and Marko Kipkorir of Mindililwo made a 1-2-3 sweep of the podium as Hellen Chebet, Susan Kipruto and Tecla Jebiwott were also crowned.
Jonah Kipruto of Kobil won a race that both boys and girls lined up together. Gladys Kigen and Nicholas Kipkurui were second and third.
Reach special children
Toby Tanser, the founding director of the Shoe4Africa initiative, awarded the winners with mosquito nets and sports shoes. He said his organisation had spent more that Sh5 million to help pupils with disabilities in Africa.
“We have offered to schooling children in different nations across Africa. We are looking for finances to enable us reach many special children,” said Tanser. Birir, a Shoe4Africa goodwill ambassador, said the move would help the nation produce good Paralympians.
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