The complexity and variation of humanity sometimes thrusts us into unfamiliar grounds but it’s what we do in and following those moments that creates a story for us – and those around us to remember. For Japheth Musyoki, his complexity was having to spend his entire childhood on a wheelchair. A complexity that encouraged him to soar in his life’s endeavours and leave an impression on several disabled Africans in sports.
Born in 1948 in rural Kitui area, living with disability came at a young age for Japheth, four years old to be exact following an infection from a poliovirus. Japheth maintained an ordinary life despite his condition. He attended and completed his primary education before joining Kitui High School, where he completed his secondary education in 1970.
After high school Japheth dove into adulthood, working for various government ministries such as The Ministry of Labour, Environment and Natural Resources and Water and Irrigation.
It was in the early 1970s that Japheth met Dorothy Hughes – a governing member of the Chesire Homes for the disabled, and East Africa’s first female architect. Her active participation in vouching for people with disabilities to participate in sports was one of the factors that ultimately led to his joining of the Kenyan Paralympics team.
There was severe training involved and Dorothy ensured that people with disabilities, regardless of their class tirelessly trained at The Nairobi Club with the hopes of representing Kenya in the international games. She further went ahead and arranged for trainers to be flown in from the U.K to ensure the athletes were adequately prepared.
As hard work often does, the blood, sweat and tears paid off for 16 Kenyan athletes who were chosen to attend the first Paralympic Games in Arnhem, Netherlands in 1980. Among them was a determined Japheth Musyoki, who in the end bagged two silver medals in the discus throw and shot put categories.
It wasn’t until the Paralympic Games that followed four years later that Japheth had his most memorable sporting achievement to date. It was while at the Stokeham Paralympics that Japheth Musyoki was awarded with a gold medal after conquering the shot put category. A great moment in Kenya’s sports history as it was the first Paralympic gold medal in that category and no doubt Japheth was celebrated. He went to soar greater heights before he retired in 1988.
We celebrate this sports hero for raising the bar for disabled Africans in sports and showing us all that unplanned shortcomings can prove to be the encouraging factors for our successes.
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