Nyahururu-based taxi drivers flock JKIA to receive Summer Deaflympics star
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Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 28.11.25. | 19:54
The 24-year-old won two gold medals in the 5,000 and 10,000m events
Kenya's lead athlete at the recently concluded 2025 Summer Deaflympics Ian Wambui Kahinga was all smiles, as he received a triumphant welcome at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on Friday, 28 November.
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Wambui, 24, was met with with his wife Serah Wachira and a host of traditional dancers as he jetted back into the country following a star performance at the Games held in Tokyo, Japan from from 15-26 November.
Hailing from Nyahururu in Laikipia County, Wambui, who doubles up as a taxi driver, claimed two gold medals in the 10,000m and 5,000m events, the latter going down as a World and Deaflympics record.
The impressive feat came on Monday, 24 November, when Wambui led an all-Kenyan podium sweep at the Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium, leading James Musembi and Nelson Kipkorir to a winning time of 13:52.83.
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The time broke the previous 5,000m world, and Deaflympics records, which were held by another Kenyan - Symon Cherono Kibai - who timed 14:02.90 while winning gold at the 2013 Games in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Speaking through a translator, Wambui, upon touching down on home soil to song and dance, said: "I feel good because I got medals in Tokyo. My family is here to welcome me, and I am so happy to see them, they are smiling a lot."
Thanks to his double gold and world record, Wambui, who also saw his fellow taxi drivers from Nyahururu flock the airport, is guaranteed Ksh11 million as part of the cash reward from the Government of Kenya.
He said that motivated him to train hard and perform even better in future competitions, all while holding to the hope that his exploits would serve as inspiration to his teammates in Nyahururu.
“I believe these medals are going to inspire many more people," Wambui said. "They have seen that I have broken the world record, so when we train together with them, they will be motivated to win medals, break world records, and grow."
Wambui's wife, Wachira, was not left out of the celebrations saying: "I am so happy and I thank God for helping him win. Though he has been training hard, I still thank God for helping him be victorious. I will encourage him to train harder so that he can win more medals in the future.”
On his part, Wambui's coach Samuel Kibet said his student has a brighter future, and urged him to continue working harder on his career.
“It is a very big inspiration to all athletes not only the deaf ones," Kibet said. "Our aim was to break the world record in 10,000m and 5000m. I thank God that we got our tactics right in the 5,000m, and want to encourage him not to go back home and sleep but continue training.
I believe that if he gets more opportunities, he will do better than he has done now."
Overall, in the 25th Summer Games, Kenya amassed a total of 15 medals: five gold, six silver, and four bronze.
