Kun Waar Liem (624) in the 200m at the African Championships (© Monirul Bhuiyan)
In the scorching heat at Kakuma Refugee Camp, an aeroplane arrives at least once a month to deliver food and other supplies. For years, a young Solomon Ayela Okeny watched them descend from the sky before disappearing into the horizon, hoping that one day he would board one.
On 9 May, Okeny’s dream came true, and he went one step better: he boarded a plane to compete in a major championship.
“I was very nervous when the flight attendants explained what we needed to do in case of an emergency,” he said. “But the whole experience of moving in this ‘thing that just floats in the sky’ was worth it. I didn't sleep even for a second during the entire journey.”
Like the rest of his World Athletics Athlete Refugee Team (ART) teammates, Okeny arrived in Accra, Ghana, with a lot of enthusiasm for the African Championships. He was the first on the track, clocking a PB of 52.40 in the 400m.
Solomon Ayela Okeny at the African Championships (© Martin Moses)
Okeny was joined by Abdifatah Aden Hassan (men’s 1500m), Kun Waar Liem (men’s 200m), Perina Lokure Nakang (women’s 800m) and Lokoro Dario (men’s 5000m), and the group remained closely knit throughout their stay in Accra.
Hassan shaved more than five seconds from his 1500m PB, running 3:57.05. The achievement was even more remarkable considering he had fallen ill a day before his race. He later admitted that it might have been pre-race jitters of competing outside Kenya for the first time, but a quick chat with his coach, Janeth Jepkosgei, set him up for the impressive feat.
For Liem, the Ghana trip was enjoyable and eye-opening. The 200m runner revealed that he felt motivated by watching the continent’s top sprinters, such as Zimbabwe’s Tapiwanashe Makarawu, training and competing up close.
“I have met some of the athletes I used to watch online and follow on social media,” said Liem, who ran 22.84 in the 200m heats. “These guys are very fast. They have encouraged me and shared some tips on how I can better my craft. I felt challenged and motivated because when you compete against fast athletes, you want to do better. They have given me something to focus on.”
Abdifatah Aden Hassan at the African Championships (© Monirul Bhuiyan)
After appearances at two World Athletics Championships and the Paris Olympics, Nakang competed in her fourth major championship. She ran 2:10.02 in the 800m in the sweltering heat in Accra.
“I believe I can run faster,” she said. “The competition was tough, but I know what I need to work on to achieve my goals in the upcoming competitions and in life.”
Nakang, whose role model is Faith Kipyegon, remains committed to building a career like that of the four-time world 1500m champion.
“I usually look up to Faith, and I want to make something out of my career as she has,” Nakang added. “I want to run so that I can go back home (South Sudan) and change my country.”
Abdifatah Aden Hassan, Perina Lokure Nakang and Lokoro Dario during training in Accra (© Martin Moses)
Like Nakang, this wasn't Dario's first trip outside Kenya, but the 5000m runner remains positively challenged by what he sees every time in a major championship. Taking a step up from the 3000m he ran at the World Athletics U20 Championships Lima 24, the 20-year-old clocked 15:10.56 in Accra.
“I am still adjusting to the 5000m,” he said. “I maintained pace with the leading pack for 10 or so laps but I now need to work on getting better in future races. I have met different athletes from different African countries and we have shared experiences.”
Away from the track, the team was hosted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Ghana where they met with UNHCR Head of National Office Tetteh Padi.
Members of the Athlete Refugee Team with Jackson Tuwei and Tetteh Padi in Accra (© UNHCR)
The team was later accompanied by UNHCR staff on a tour of Accra where they visited the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Independence Square, and savoured Ghanaian food at a famous local restaurant courtesy of World Athletics.
For athletes who escaped war and grew up in refugee camps, the story of Ghana’s founding father and the man who fought for Africa’s liberation and dignity added some weight.
“I used to hear and read about these things in social studies in school, but I have now seen them in real life. Nkrumah’s story is very inspirational, and the trip was very enjoyable,” said Hassan.
Padi also took time off on Saturday to watch Liem and Hassan compete.
As they leave Ghana, there is an overwhelming sense of gratitude, happiness and pride, but without contentment. Grateful that they got to see the world and compete in a major championship but acknowledging that there is still a long way to go.
Accra was part of the journey, not the destination.
Martin Moses for World Athletics