Brian Wanyama
- Ojuka is the Kenya’s sole medalist at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
The law student from Kenyatta University bagged a silver medal in Long Jump T37 category to save Kenya from the embarrassment of almost finishing the prestigious quadrennial event without a medal.
Ojuka, who is also a sprinter, won the silver medal in a new African Record of 6.20 metres in men’s long jump T37 on September 3 at the Stade de France.
Ojuka is the first Kenyan to win a medal in Long Jump in the history of Paralympics or Olympics. He is the first to win a medal at the Paralympics in field events since Mary Nakhumicha bagged silver in Javelin Throw at the Beijing 2008 Games. He becomes the first Paralympian to win SPOM since Vincent Mutai in April 2019.
The 28-year-old went into the Paris 2024 Paralympics with a personal best of 5.73m from the World Para Athletics Championships that were held May this year.
At the Paris Games, Ojuka came second behind Brian Lionel from Argentina (6.42m) and ahead of Brazilian Cardoso on countback with a similar distance of 6.20m.
Ojuka shattered the previous African Record of 6.05m set by Andrea Dalle Ave from South Africa in 2015 in Johannesburg.
Samson Opiyo Ojuka winner of the LG/SJAK Sports Personality of the Month (SPOM) for September 2024. SJAK/Oliver Ananda
Born on April 13, 1996 in Nairobi, Ojuka embraced both football and athletics at Maseno School where the current National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) member, Paul Otula, was the Principal then.
He decided to concentrate on athletics upon joining Kenyatta University in 2018, getting inspiration from the likes of Olympian Boniface Mweresa.
It was not long before Ojuka featured at the World Grand Prix in Tunisia and Morocco in 2019, competing in 100m and 200m and long jump.
Ojuka made his debut at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai, UAE where he clocked 12.39 seconds PB to finish sixth in 100m and sixth in 200m in 25.19 all in the semis.
He then registered a personal best of 5.58m to finish seventh in long jump during the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in Paris where Argentinian Lionel won in a Championships Record of 6.67m.
At the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan, Ojuka came sixth improving his career best to 5.73m, an achievement that placed him in high performance to get the 2024 Paris Paralympics ticket.
“I’m happy to win the LG/SJAK Sport Personality of the Month for September. I’m surprised to be chosen. It is a big motivation to get this award. It will make me work even harder to shine in upcoming major championships such as the Commonwealth Games in 2026 and Los Angeles Paralympic Games 2024,” said Ojuka who was under coach Henry Nzungi at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
To get the prestigious monthly award, Ojuka, who has a deformed right arm known as Erbs Palsy in medical language, got the most votes from the SPOM panel.
He beat a strong field of nominees, including newly-crowned Diamond League winners Faith Kipyegon (1,500m), Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Mary Moraa (800m), Faith Cherotich and Amos Serem (3,000m steeplechase), and Beatrice Chebet (5,000m).
Also making the list of nominees were cricketer Rakep Patel, FIFA Under-17 World Cup-bound Valery Nekesa, rugby stars Amon Wamalwa (Kenya Harlequin), Darwin Mukidza (Kenya Legends) and Dennis Abukuse (Menengai Oilers), newly-crowned African Rally Championship winner Karan Patel as well as Helvic Simiyu from Kabaddi.
“This award allows us as LG Electronics to strengthen sports cohesion among our sports champions and communities across diverse disciplines. Our commitment is to ensure that the desire, dream and vision of our sports personalities do not wither. For us, it is very important to recognize exceptional talent, and Ojuka is certainly deserving of the May award,” said LG’s Managing Director for East Africa, Dongwon Lee.
