Kenya’s sole medallist at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Samson Opiyo Ojuka, is the LG/SJAK Sports Personality of the Month for September 2024.
The law student at Kenyatta University bagged a silver medal in the men’s long jump T37 category to save Kenya the embarrassment of almost finishing the prestigious quadrennial event without a medal.
Ojuka, also a sprinter, won the silver medal in a new African Record of 6.20 meters in on September 3 at the Stade de France.
He is the first Kenyan to win a medal in the discipline in the history of both the Paralympics and Olympics. Hie is also the first to win a medal at the Paralympic field events since Mary Nakhumicha bagged silver in the javelin throw at the Beijing 2008 Games.
The 28-year-old went into the Paris 2024 Paralympics with a personal best of 5.73m from the World Para Athletics Championships held in May this year.
At the Paris Games, Ojuka came second behind Brian Lionel of Argentina (6.42m) and ahead of Brazilian Cardoso on countback with a similar distance of 6.20m.
Ojuka shattered the previous African Record of 6.05m set by Andrea Dalle Ave from South Africa in 2015 in Johannesburg.
“This award allows us as LG Electronics to strengthen sports cohesion among our sports champions and communities across diverse disciplines. Our commitment is to ensure that the desire, dream, and vision of our sports personalities do not wither. For us, it is very important to recognize exceptional talent, and Ojuka is certainly deserving of the September award,” said LG’s Managing Director for East Africa, Dongwon Lee.
Born on April 13, 1996, in Nairobi, Ojuka embraced both football and athletics at Maseno School. He decided to concentrate on athletics upon joining Kenyatta University in 2018, drawing inspiration from the likes of Olympian Boniface Mweresa.
It was not long before he featured at the World Grand Prix in Tunisia and Morocco in 2019, competing in the 100m and 200m races, and the long jump.
Ojuka made his debut at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai, UAE, where he clocked a 12.39 seconds personal best to finish sixth in the 100m distance and sixth in 200m after clocking 25.19.
He then registered a personal best of 5.58m to finish seventh in the long jump during the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in Paris, where Argentinian Lionel won in a Championships Record of 6.67m.
At the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan, Ojuka came sixth improving his career best to 5.73m, an achievement that earned him the 2024 Paris Paralympics ticket.
“I’m happy to win the LG/SJAK Sports Personality of the Month for September. I’m surprised to be chosen. It is a big motivation to get this award. It will make me work even harder to shine in upcoming major championships such as the Commonwealth Games in 2026 and Los Angeles Paralympic Games 2028,” he said.
For the prestigious monthly award, Ojuka, beat a strong field of nominees, including newly-crowned Diamond League winners Faith Kipyegon (1,500m), Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Mary Moraa (800m), Faith Cherotich and Amos Serem (3,000m steeplechase), and Beatrice Chebet (5,000m).
Also in contention were cricketer Rakep Patel, FIFA Under-17 World Cup-bound Valery Nekesa, rugby stars Amon Wamalwa (Kenya Harlequin), Darwin Mukidza (Kenya Legends), and Dennis Abukuse (Menengai Oilers), newly-crowned African Rally Championship winner, Karan Patel, as well as Helvic Simiyu from Kabaddi.
