NAIROBI, Kenya, October 31 – Kenya’s paralympic rower Asiya Mohammed says her ultimate dream is to clinch a podium place at next year’s Paralympic Games in Paris, France after securing qualification last week.
Asiya said she is keen on building upon her performance at the last edition of the games in Tokyo where she finished sixth in the finals of the PR1 Women’s Single Sculls.
“I look forward to be in the medal bracket. I will not be changing anything from what I did in Tokyo but instead I will be upgrading (on the performance),” she said.
Asiya’s appearance at her second-ever Paralympics was confirmed after she won the women’s single sculls at the African Olympics and Paralympics Qualification Regatta in Tunis, Tunisia.
She was among 15 Africans who have secured their tickets to Paris, including Algerian Nihed Benchadli and South African Courtney Westley who will be debuting at the championships.
Reflecting on her latest conquest, Asiya admitted she was ecstatic beyond measure, adding that she is still taking time to digest the reality of featuring in the quadrennial games for the second time in her young rowing career.
“I felt really but at the same time I was calm because I didn’t know how to express my happiness,” she said.
Asiya has conquered many obstacles on her journey to the big stage, having suffered a train accident at a young age, which cost her both legs and several fingers.
The incident also left her orphaned as her father suffered a stroke caused by the shock of seeing the effects of the accident on her daughter before her mother passed away years later.
Apart from para-rowing, Asiya also plays wheelchair tennis and has represented Kenya in the sport in the past.
