Paris Paralympics: Mushai disqualified as Moipo suffers exit in taekwondo

Kenya's multiple Paralympic champion Samwel Mushai was on Friday disqualified after finishing fourth in the men's 5,000m T11 final, held at Stade de France in Paris, France.

Mushai, who was under the guidance of Jean Kipchumba, got his times scrapped after being adjudged to have committed a lane infringement.

Efforts by Kenya National Paralympic Committee (KNPC) technical wing led by President Ronald Milare to appeal proved futile, as the results from the event that opened the athletics program were upheld.

Milare said: “There is little we could have done since there was jostling at the start of the race with adrenaline high.”

Mushai was making his fourth appearance at the Paralympic Games having claimed gold in 1,500m T11 at 2012 London, gold in 5,000m T11 at 2016 Rio and bronze in the 1,500m T11 on debut at the 2008 Beijing Games.

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It was the Brazilians however who upheld their dominance in the event, as 2024 World 5000m silver medalist Agripino Dos Santos took the title, his first gold medal in 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.

With that, he 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.

Santos also broke the Championship Record time of 15:11.07, set by Kenya's legendary distance runner Henry Wanyoike from 2004 Athens Paralympic Games.

Meanwhile in other events on Friday with Kenyan representation, para rower Asiya Sururu failed to get an automatic spot at the PR1 Women’s Single Sculls final after finishing sixth in Heat One with a time of 12:08.84.

The 32-year-old will however have a chance to get a spot in the final through the repechage on Saturday and will be in Heat One starting from 1030 EAT.

Elsewhere in the 44-57 kg para-taekwondo event, Kenya’s Julieta Moipo suffered a Round of 16 exit after falling 19-4 to Serbian opponent Marija Micev.

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Her exit from the competition means she has joined her compatriot Neema Stency, who was eliminated in the K44-52 kg category on Thursday.

The 22-year-old was defeated 12-3 by Egypt’s Ali Abd Al Moneem Hassan.