Kenya competed at the 1996 Summer Paralympics. The country sent a 17 strong athlete delegation to Atlanta, United States.
Team 17 athletes, 11 men and 6 women, represented Kenya at the Games in Atlanta, United States. This was the largest delegation that Kenya has ever sent to a Paralympic Games. The team included Mary Nakhumica, who was making her second Paralympic Games appearance as a 17-year-old.
Background In many parts of Black Africa, people who have disabilities that include intellectual disabilities, and physical disabilities such as impairments and deformities often face cultural barriers to participation because of attitudes related to their disabilities. These include beliefs that they acquired their disabilities because their parents were witches or they are wizards. Their disability is often seen as a result of a personal failing on their part. As such, there is often tremendous cultural pressure for people with physical disabilities to remain hidden and out of the public eye. In many places, they are perceived to be monsters in need of healing.Crawford, J. (2004). Constraints of Elite Athletes with Disabilities in Kenya. Dissertation submitted for the degree of Master of Science in Leisure Studies in the Graduate College of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In a Kenyan context, the "bad blood" of people with disabilities is thought to also impact their families, creating further stigma for the person with the disability.
Medals Kenyan Paralympians won two medals at these games, one gold and one silver. The team included Mary Nakhumica. Mary Nakhumicha was back from Barcelona for the Atlanta Games. Building on her success at the previous Games, she won silver in the women's javelin throw.
Medal Name Sport Event Christopher Moori Athletics Men's javelin F41 Mary Nakhumicha Athletics Women's javelin F55-57
See also Kenya at the Paralympics Kenya at the 1996 Summer Olympics
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