After representing Kenya at the 2017 Nairobi World Under-18 Championships, Nusra Rukia, who failed to go past the first round in the 100m hurdles, lost interest in the sport especially after clearing high school in 2019.
“I was disappointed to the extent that I thought I had wasted my time in athletics, having not achieved what I wanted,” says Rukia, who schooled at St Francis Rangala Secondary School in Siaya.
Rukia, who had won the 2019 National Secondary Schools 100m hurdles title, started to put on weight with the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 worsening things.
“However, It dawned on me that I had talent that I was letting it go to waste,” notes Rukia, who started having the drive of going back to the track with her father, Hajji Adede also pushing her.
“I was now weighing over 80kgs hence a big challenge to scale the hurdles,” explains Rukia.
Then in September last year, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, Rukia contacted one of Kenya’s finest sprints coaches, Vincent Mumo, who had other athletes especially from Kenya Defence Forces at Ngong area.
Mumo handled the late Nicholas Bett to the historic win in the 400m hurdles at the 2015 Beijing World Championships and Boniface Mucheru to silver in a similar event at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
“I have worked together with Mumo in the areas of speed work and techniques. I now weigh 67kg hence easy to tackle the hurdles,” says Rukia, 19, who is the youngest member in Team Kenya that is in Silesia, Poland for the World Relay Championships due this weekend.
Rukia, who was born on August 29, 2011 in Kakamega, is in the shuttle relay team that has Priscilla Tabunda, Vanice Kerubo, Wiseman Were and Michael Musyoka.
Already, the team is in the medal bracket with the event having attracted Kenya, Poland and Germany.
“Actually, we started chatting even before sports reopened partially in September after Covid-19 lockdown,” intimates Mumo, who has represented Kenya in 400m at the World Championships and Commonwealth Games.
“I provided her with a training program before she later joined us in Ngong,”explains Mumo, who describes Rukia as a talented and focused athlete, who is destined for greatness in hurdles.
Rukia, who is humbled to make the team with only a few months upon return, noted that they have been working on their starts with the event starting in a reverse way.
“It’s a privilege and humbling experience to make the team. We are already in the medal bracket but we are determined to be the best and that is by winning gold,” says Rukia, stating that they have a strong team.
“My experienced colleagues, especially the super girl of hurdles, Tabunda, have been helpful, correcting me in every way. It’s a good learning curve for me,” says Rukia, who fell in love with 100m hurdles back in class eight in 2015 at Mumias Central Primary School after watching American Kendra “Keni” Harrison compete.
Rukia now wants to improve her personal best in 100m hurdles from 14.57 seconds to sub 13 seconds.
“Realistically, my target is the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and to achieve that I must lower my time to 12.9 secs and 12.8 secs,” notes Rukia. “I will have fulfilled my dream if I am to run 11.0 secs.” BY DAILY NATION