Kenya’s multiple Paralympic champion Samwel Mushai has been disqualified despite finishing fourth in the men’s 5,000m T11 final at the Paris Paralympic Games at Stade de France on Friday.
Efforts by the Kenya National Paralympic Committee’s (KNPC) technical wing led by President Ronald Milare to lodge an appeal proved futile as the results from the event that opened the athletics program were upheld.
Para rower Asiya Sururu and para taekwondo player Julieta Moipo also won their first round contests.
Mushai, guided by Jean Kipchumba, finished fourth but got disqualified for lane infringement.
“There is little we could have done since there was jostling at the start of the race with adrenaline high, “said Milare.
Mushai was making his fourth appearance at the Paralympic Games, having claimed gold in the 1,500m T11 at 2012 London, gold in the 5,000m T11 at 2016 Rio, and bronze in the 1,500m T11 on his debut at the 2008 Beijing Games.
The Brazilians upheld their dominance with the 2024 World 5,000m silver medalist Agripino Dos Santos winning the 5,000m T11 title, his first gold medal in the Paralympics.
Santos did it in style on his third Paralympics attempt, chalking a new World and Championship Record time of 14 minutes and 48.85 seconds.
The South American also smashed compatriot Yeltsin Jacques’ World Record of 14:53.97 set on May 17 this year when winning the World title in Kobe, Japan.
Jacques was the defending champion from the 2021 Tokyo Games.
