DEAF GIRL MAKES HISTORY

BY BRIAN YONGA

Disability is definitely not inability and one girl has defied all odds to prove the statement is not just words. Beryl Atieno Warima has engraved her name in the history books at the tender age of just 17 years. She is the first Kenyan woman to win a gold medal in short races at a major world championship. Beryl achieved this fete as she won gold in the 200 meters and silver in the 100 meters at the World Deaf Championship held in Toronto, Canada last month. All this was achieved despite her being dumb and deaf since childhood. Hailing from Nyagoko Sub location, South Asembo District, Bondo district, Beryl, a Form 4 student at Nyangoma School for the deaf has thrust her school and hometown on the limelight. Making her debut at the games, not many people expected her to achieve this but she cut the tape in 24.76 seconds to bag the gold and with it engrave her name in the record books. She also won silver in the 100 metres posting a personal best 12.34. Kenya finished in fourth position and was the top country in the continent bagging four gold medals, four silvers and two bronze medals during the one week event that brought 27 nations. For a country that normally dominates in middle and long distance races, the achievements of Beryl are not only historic but also rare for female athletes in the country. Her colleagues in both Nyangoma Primary and Secondary had lined up outside the school with twigs ready to receive her during her homecoming. Though deaf, their joy and excitement could be seen as they communicated using sign language awaiting the girl of the moment. Teachers could hardly hide their joy, the town had something to talk about waiting to catch a glimpse of Beryl, or ‘Nyasembo’ as they fondly referred to her. Born in 1995, in a family of eight, Beryl and two of her siblings were deaf at birth. However, this did not deter her from achieving her goals in life. Her love for sports began at an early age as she excelled in school competitions easily beating her colleagues but it was not until in high school that she developed more interest. Early this year, together with her two siblings, David Wamira and Rachel Wamira, they dominated the Nyanza Provincial Deaf Championships as Beryl and David qualifying for the Nationals with Rachel only being beaten by her elder sister. The situation was the same in Nairobi, Beryl won both the 100 and 200 meters breaking the records in both races and with it sealing a maiden place at the World Championship. “I worked hard from the district level and knew that I had it in me to succeed, my coach pushed me all the way” she said. The stage was now set for her to shine at the national games and the vice-captain of the Kenyan team did not disappoint. She was pipped to gold in the 100 meters by Cuban Girat Rivero Suslaidy and had to settle for the silver. However she was determined to win gold for her country and she was not to be denied in the 200 meters. I felt strong, i was in great form before the race started and I calculated my steps very well. After failing to win gold in the 100m dash, I knew it was my turn to make Kenya proud by winning gold 200m and I did it,” she said. She draws her inspiration from her father and mentor Bartholomew Warima, a former athlete and footballer himself. “My dad is also deaf like me but he has taught me that I can achieve all I want in life if I believe no matter the barriers”, she says through her interpreter and trainer David Omondi. Indeed her parents are proud; they have received a million calls congratulating their two children for their achievements. According to her mother, Phelester Wamira, her daughter has taught her that nothing is impossible in this world. After giving birth to her first born child, David Warima in 1987, she and her husband did not discover that he was deaf until he was about two years. “When Beryl was born, I sensed she might be deaf as she was too quiet and would rarely utter a word”, she said. She however loved her in equal measure with her other children and according to her they get along well. She and her husband were called on the night Beryl won her gold medal. “It was on a Sunday night about midnight Kenyan time, we were told she had won gold, we were happy and did not go back to bed”, she recalls. It was double joy for the Wamira’s as the eldest son David also scooped silver in the Men’s 200 meters and with their sister Jael also a force to reckon with, the trio look set to dominate athletics for years to come. Her achievements saw her awarded a diploma in short races by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD). Beryl’s father is proud of her daughter’s achievements and is optimistic that her daughter will dominate the athletics world for years to come. “She can only get better and I know that she will win more medals I years to come”, she said. “I will not boast of my achievement because I am not really different from my colleagues, they can also do just like me or even better,” she said. She expressed concerns over how the deaf suffer worldwide because of the condition and encouraged her colleagues to follow her footsteps so as to change the world’s perception on people living with disabilities.. “I boarded a plane for the first time and had a lot of fear in me as the plane took off but it was a wonderful experience,” she added joyfully. She swore to defend her title next year and win more medals in different categories including short-put and discus. Indeed she has a plate full, she will represent the nation at the East Africa Secondary Games in Burundi next month where she will compete against hearing competitors. “It will be tough because I have not done this before but I am determined to make it, I believe with the right training I can make it”, she adds. She has to find time and sit for her Mock exams being a candidate but it is unclear when that will There is also the small business of being rewarded; the Ministry of Sports promised 300,000 for every gold and 200,000 shillings for silver with bronze winners taking home 100,000 shillings. Mobile company also made a similar pledge guaranteeing her a million shillings richer after her triumphs in Canada.

HOPE

It's magic and it's free It's not in a prescription It's not in an IV. It punctuates out laughter, It sparkles in our tears, It simmers under sorrows, And dissipates our fears. Do you know what Hope is? It's reaching past today, It's dreaming of tomorrow, It's trying a new way. It's pushing past impossible, It's pounding on the door, It's questioning the Answers, It's always seeking more. It's rumors of a breakthrough, It's whispers of a cure, A roller coaster ride Of remedies, unsure. Do you know what Hope is? It's candy for the soul, It's perfume for the spirit, To share it makes you Whole

DONT DRINK AND DRIVE!

Near to the door he paused to stand as he took his class ring off her hand All who were watching did not speak as a silent tear ran down his cheek And through his mind the memories ran of the moments they walked and ran in the sand hand and hand But now her eyes were so terribly cold for he would never again have her to hold they watched in silence As he bent near and whispered the words... "I LOVE YOU" in her ear he touched her face and started to cry As he put on his ring and wanted to die and just then the wind began to blow as they lowered her casket into the snow... This is what happens to man alive... when friends let friends... drink and drive.

Kisumu: Fast growth, but haunted by poll chaos

http://www.nation.co.ke/Counties/Fast+growth+but+haunted+by+poll+chaos++/-/1107872/1451836/-/11cpjtez/-/index.html