Team Kenya co-captain for the 24th Summer Deaflympics Beryl Atieno Wamira is focused to lower her nine year old standing record in women’s 200m.
The 26-year old is training vigorously at the MISC Kasarani in Nairobi ahead of the games slated for Brazil city of Caxias Do Sul on May 1-15.
Atieno, who co-captains Team Kenya with steeplechase defending champion and record holder Lucas Wandia, can easily recall how she breezed to the tape to clock 24.46 to set the lofty record in 2013 in Sofia, Bulgaria.
“It was my first time in the Deaflympics.
“I just lined up, took a dash and won the race.
“After that I saw people praising me madly, I was then told I did not only triumphed in the race but made a huge mark in the competition by breaking its record,” she told Standard Sports.
Atieno says she is out to lower that record in Brazil, and her target is a sub 23.00.
Before the camp at Kasarani, Atieno had been stepping her training in Komarocks where she stays and at the Nyayo National Stadium, both in Nairobi, from last December.
“I did a lot of field work and speed; I ran on the hills, took morning jogs on the road, did a lot of sprinting to strengthen my muscles,” she says.
On Mondays, Atieno did intense hill work and coupled this with elaborate gym sessions.
On Tuesdays, she resorted to speed workouts to improve her pace.
She combined hill climbs and track runs on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
aFridays she ran with spikes to familiarise her feet with the track while weekends were basically for rest.
She trained alongside her sister Rael and brother David, both deaf, who offered her moral support.
“Running as a family always motivates, my family has played a huge role in the medals that I have won,” she says.
Ahead of her departure to Brazil, Atieno continues to do more hill work to build muscles, she is also using the spikes to build more footwork on the track.
“I feel my body is in great shape, the camp has also taken my tactics to another level,” she says.
Even though the former waitress will take part in the women’s 100m and the relays (4x100m and 4x400m) in Brazil, it is the women’s 200m that’s closer to her heart which she is out to smash it’s record again.
“Apart from the high intensity training at the camp, I take my coach’s advice seriously.
“Being disciplined and following instructions is what delivered for me gold in Sofia,” Atieno says.
The former SOYA Awards Sports Personality Living with Disability runners up reiterated that the greatest challenge in her career is doing road work alone as she is incapable of hearing vehicles hooting at her while running.
“The deaf also get less support from sponsors as compared to the hearing athletes,” she says.
Atieno comes from a family of eight; five brothers of which one is deaf and three sisters of which two are deaf.
She was introduced to athletics by her parents who are also former athletes.
Her father who is also deaf was embedded in athletics while her mother (hearing) was an ardent volleyball and basketball player.
Atieno hopes to settle down and start a family soon.
Kelly Ayodi
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