Panther targets wheelchair history at Standard Chartered Marathon

South Sudan-born Michael Panther is aiming to become the first man to complete the 42km Standard Chartered Marathon in a wheelchair. The attempt is also intended to raise Ksh100 million for paediatric wheelchairs for children living with disabilities in Kenya.

The marathon is preparing for its 23rd edition, with Panther hoping to turn his participation into a national disability-awareness campaign. His objective extends beyond completing the distance: he wants children who lack mobility equipment to gain access to school and greater independence.

Panther’s own childhood has shaped the campaign. He says having a wheelchair allowed him to attend school and helped determine the course of his life. He believes many children across Kenya are confined at home because they do not have suitable wheelchairs, with more than 200,000 potentially needing one.

He established Hope Mobility Kenya, an organisation that fabricates and distributes wheelchairs to people living with disabilities in Kenya. The organisation produces and supplies about 100,000 wheelchairs, while Panther is seeking wider support to reach thousands of children who remain without mobility assistance.

A 42km race presents a demanding challenge for any wheelchair athlete, but Panther draws motivation from Eliud Kipchoge’s message that human potential has no fixed limits. The Economics graduate studied at Louisiana State University, where he led the International Student Association, served as Executive Director of Students Outreach in student government and founded the university’s Disability Student Organisation.

Kipchoge, a two-time world record holder and double Olympic champion, has praised Panther’s determination and his focus on children with disabilities. He also believes sport can provide opportunities for children with disabilities to compete and achieve alongside other athletes. Panther’s planned appearance therefore combines a personal endurance challenge with an appeal for mobility, education and participation.