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Paralympic Games: Hellen Wawira eyes major breakthrough in Paris
Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 13.08.24. | 16:38
Her last competitive outing was at the World Cup in Georgia back in May this year, where she failed to lift 96kgs, but is now confident of a good outing
Kenya’s powerlifter Hellen Wawira is all set for her second appearance at Paralympic Games come the Paris Summer Games.
Wawira, who is conducting her training at the team’s training camp in Compiegne, has claimed at least a medal from four major international events.
She has medaled at the World Cup, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and African Games, and is yearning for a breakthrough at the Paralympics.
“This is my first time in Paris, and I hope it comes with good tidings and a medal,” said Wawira, who finished fifth with a lift of 93kg in the women’s 41kg at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
Wawira’s last competitive outing was at the World Cup in Georgia back in May this year, where she failed to lift 96kgs, but is now confident of a good outing.
“I am polishing my techniques since that is where the game is played. You can be powerful but fall short when it comes to technique. That is what cost me in Georgia,” said Wawira, who has Spina Bifida.
Spina Bifida is a birth defect in which there is incomplete closing of the spine and the membranes around the spinal cord during early development in pregnancy.
“I love the weather here in Compiegne. The hot conditions here are conducive for me since it helps cut or regulate my weight,” said Wawira, who benched 98kg to win gold in under-41kg during the 2022 World Championships in United States of America.
“I know competition will be tough but the good thing is that I will be meeting the usual suspects, people I have met before,” said Wawira, who is aiming to bench 90kg and above.
Wawira has gone on to compete in six Powerlifting World Cup Championships, three World Powerlifting Championships, two Commonwealth Games and one African Games.
She has four medals from the World Cup; two gold, a silver and a bronze.
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She collected bronze on her debut in 2016 Malaysia, before finishing fourth in the same championships in Mexico in 2017.
Her moment finally came in 2020 Nigeria where she claimed gold before returning in 2022 Egypt to win silver. She recaptured her title in 2023 Egypt.
Wawira has one medal from the World Championships; a gold medal.
She won the world title in 2022 USA despite having recovered from Covid-19, a virus she contracted while in the USA.
Wawira returned to Dubai in 2023 to settle fourth at the World Championships.
She has bronze from the 2022 Commonwealth Games, having finished fourth at the 2018 “Club” Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
Her maiden tour was at the 2015 African Games in Congo Brazzaville, having just been a few months after taking up the powerlifting sport with encouragement from international Gabriel Gabu. Her efforts yielded bronze.
Her superior world ranking, seventh overall in the world in women's up to 41kg, which came because of winning the world title in 2022 in the USA, saw her make the cut among the top eight lifters for the 2024 Paralympic Games.
