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| Kenya’s bocce team celebrates bagging gold in the Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi on March 16, 2019. PHOTO | COPURTESY | |
Onesmus Mutinda bagged Kenya’s second gold medal in the ongoing Special Olympics World Games after clinching the Half Marathon title in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday.
The 20-year-old Mutinda finished the 21-kilometre race in one hour, 11 minutes and 34 seconds as he defeated his closest challenger Anwer Elmabrouk Ali Dakam by 14 minutes. Dakam, 33, from Libya timed 1:25:27, while Nikolaj Hjalmar Vomb Mortensen, 23, from Denmark wrapped up the top-three spots in 1:25:43.
Kenya’s first gold medal came early Saturday from the bocce competition in which the country was represented by Deepak Sanghvi, Effie Owuor, Marion Iravaya Obiri and Veer Rajesh. The East Africans finished ahead of Mauritius, Oman, Romania and Chinese Taipei who followed each other in that order.
Swimmers Faith Muchiri, Charlton Waithaka, Sonali Ritesh and Kagondu Kariuki guided Kenya to silver medal in the 4×25 metres relay.
Kenya, which is fielding 71 sportspeople, is taking part in football, basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball, handball, athletics, bocce, cycling, golf, swimming and Open Water Swimming.
The 2019 Special Olympics World Games started officially on March 14 and are set to conclude on March 21.