It was a tough day for Kenya’s athletes at the Paris Olympic Games, with hopes for medals in race walking and judo ending in disappointment. Samuel Gathimba, competing in his second Summer Games, finished 22nd in the men’s 20km race walk with a season-best time of 1:21:26. Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t break into the top ranks, as Ecuador’s Brian Pintado claimed gold, Brazil’s Caio Bonfim took silver, and Spain’s Alvaro Martin rounded out the podium.
In judo, Zeddy Cherotich faced a swift defeat in the 78kg category at the Champ-de-Mars Arena. Portugal’s Patricia Sampaio secured a decisive victory in just 20 seconds, scoring a Waza-ari and quickly following up with an ippon. Cherotich, unfortunately, couldn’t mount a defense against Sampaio’s powerful techniques.
While these results were disappointing, the experience gained at such a high level of competition is invaluable. The focus now shifts to future events and preparations, as the quest for Kenya’s first Olympic medals in these disciplines continues.