Samwel Mushai Kimani

Kenya’s Samwel Kimani made his senior debut back in 2007 but it is over the last two years that the Eldoret-based Para athlete has really come of age.

The visually impaired athlete, who lost his sight at age nine after an illness, took on both the 1,500m and 5,000m T11 at Rio 2016 – and returned home to Kenya with two gold medals.

He had previously won 1,500m T11 silver at Beijing 2008, which he improved to gold four years later at the London Paralympic Games in a world record 3:58:37, but achieving the double in Rio really set him apart from his rivals.

In the men’s 5,000m T11 – the first Para athletics medal of Rio 2016 - Kimani got the better of an elite field including Brazil’s seven-time world champion and home favourite Odair Santos, who led with two laps to go.

Tucked in behind Santos, Kimani made his move round the final bend and sprinted to the line in 15:16.11 – taking half a minute off his lifetime best and just five seconds shy of the world record set by his countryman Henry Wanyoike back in 2004.

Five days later he did it again, winning 1,500m T11 gold ahead of early leader Santos after a terrific sprint finish down the home straight.

Kimani maintained his grip over T11 distance running with two more gold medals at the London 2017 World Championships, biding his time near the rear of the pack in the 1,500m before taking to the front with 300m to go.

Victory in the 5,000m was even more clear cut. The Kenyan took to the front with more than six laps left; by the time he reached the line he was more than eight seconds ahead of second placed Cristian Valenzuela, Chile’s former Paralympic champion.