This archive report was first published on 1 August 2019.
August 1, 2019, marked a significant milestone for Dominic Samson Ndingiti, a 19-year-old from Kisii County, who has been making waves in the world of race walking.
Born in Sensi location, Marani Sub-County, Ndingiti's journey to the top began long before he started competing in the sport.
"I started developing an interest in race walking while at Boroba Primary School in class four, but it was not until 2015 that I started competing," Ndingiti revealed.
That year, Ndingiti emerged top at the Nyayo National Stadium during the trials for the World Under-18 championships, but he missed the flight to Cali, Colombia, due to lacking the necessary paperwork.
Two years later, Ndingiti was on the podium after finishing third at the World Under-18 championships, a prospect that brought him to the public limelight.
However, his journey was not without its setbacks. At the 2018 World Under-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, Ndingiti finished seventh after a competitor stepped on his shoe, hindering his progress.
"In fact, I was doing very well until one of my competitors stepped on my shoe, which ultimately held me back," Ndingiti said.
Despite this setback, Ndingiti bounced back to winning ways this year, bagging his maiden gold medal at the Africa Under-20 championships in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
"I thank God because I won gold in the final day of the competition, and more so it gave us a win as a country in the continental stage," Ndingiti said.
With his sights set on the senior category, Ndingiti competed in the trials for the African Games, where he finished third.
"Competing with seniors is never an easy task, but I am contented with finishing third because that was my best I could offer," he said.
For Ndingiti, his talent has not only earned him the much-coveted medals but has also brought recognition to his family, who have been his biggest supporters throughout his journey.
"Life was very difficult for us because I was brought up in a humble background, but for now, things have changed a little bit. At least my family has earned recognition out of this sport. We can at least afford to earn an invitation for events unlike before," reflected Ndingiti.
