Santino Kenyi Warnyang Ajak Wani
(Santino Kenyi)
BORN: 14 AUG 1999 FACEBOOK: Kenyi Santino
Son of Mundari and South Sudan from Marakak community in Muni payam, bakana boma, Terekeka
Men’s 1500m & 800m runner and National Record Holder (1500m – 3:40.37 800m – 1:51)
Member of the South Sudan’s first Olympic Team in the history
Run for his dream and South Sudan
Santino is undoubtedly gifted with the grace for long distance running. In his first attempt Yei Student Marathon in 2012, he came 3rd. He has come first twice in 2013 and 2014. “In 2012 when I ran this race for the first time, I didn’t believe the organizers were serious about paying school fees for the winners… but my friend in school Angelo convinced me to run. That year he came first and I came third… When they paid our school fees, I was so happy and surprised. I began to take this race serious…”
In 2014, Santino heard of a national sports event in Juba and traveled on his own to participate. Though he was poorly kitted and not prepared, he shocked himself and the crowd, winning the second position.
He said a sports official in Juba asked him, “How is it that you, coming from down there (referring to Yei, which compared to Juba is not as developed) took the second place?” He told them of the Mini-Marathon organized in Yei for students and how he discovered his talent from there.
A man he’d never met, who was moved by his success gave him money on the spot to get an International Passport and thereafter, a flight ticket to travel out for another sports event.
Fighting back tears of joy he said, “When the man gave me the ticket, immediately I remembered what Daddy (Rev Yemi Ayodele) prophesied during the Winners’ Party in 2012, that some of us will be given tickets to travel to many countries because of this marathon. I couldn’t believe it was coming to pass for me… This marathon has changed my life.”
When Santino marches into Rio’s Maracanã Stadium for the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Games, “I’m proud because I’m going to represent my own country. Not another person’s country, it’s my own country,” “I have been dreaming of going to Olympics since when I was young,” he says.
Since then South Sudan has fallen deeper into war. The turmoil has made it impossible for him find money to support his passion for running. He receives neither food, clothing or even a place of training, yet everyday he is on the streets of Juba. Running
In August 2018, Santino is starting a new journey to Cloud Community College in Kansas USA where he will study to become a nurse and train even harder to be competitive in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Santino Kenyi is the Mundari who runs the farthest distance, he is the pride and hero of us! #KenyiCan! For the dream! For the bright star!
For supporting Santino Kenyi, you can send message to him >>HERE<<,
If you can do more, please visit the fundraising page on 
by Mr.Trevor Snapp
>> Send Santino to the Olympics! <<