A team of 13 Paralympics competitors and five running guides will leave the country next week for Beijing to take part in the Paralympics Games scheduled to start on September 6 in China.

The contingent consists of star studded athletes among them 2004 Paralympics 10,000 and 5,000m gold medalist and world record holder Henry Wanyoike, the 2002 paraplegic games Javelin gold medalist Mary Nakhumicha.

Also featuring on the athletic list are Nelly Munyalo who earned a Bronze medal in the 2006 Netherlands Paraplegic Games, Abraham Tarbet who won a Gold medal in the 2007 All African Games held in Algiers and Henry Kirwa who was second in the 2007 International Paralympics Sports Association held in San Paulo Games.

The top name in the javelin and shot-put categories is Mary Nakhumicha, the javelin gold winner in the 2002 Paraplegic Games held in Cairo.

She broke the javelin world record in the 1996 Games held in Spain and in the 1996 Australia Competition she won a silver medal in javelin and a bronze in the shot-put contest.

David Boit will also take part in the javelin and shot-put races. Henry Wanyoike, the first Kenyan athlete to win a gold medal in the Paralympics Games, will represent the country in the 10,000 and 5,000 meters.

Sports assistant minister Wavinya Ndetti assured the squad of government's support and urged them to strive to do the country proud.

"The disabled face tough challenges but you have the strength and determination to overcome," Ndeti said.

The team was urged to emulate the Kenyan contingent currently in Beijing which is striving to put Kenya on the global sporting map.

(Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2008)