Maxine Wahome, a 26-year-old World Rally Championship racer, made headlines this week after showing up in court on charges of beating her partner.
Wahome made history in June 2022, one year after she began her rally career, when she became the first Kenyan woman to win the World Rally Championship-3 (WRC3).
Along with navigator Murage Waigwa, she received Sh1 million for their time of 5.20.21 hours.
“It’s unbelievable. I am equally flabbergasted. I mean, we started off really well and maintained a steady pace through and through,” she said.
“On the second day, we clung onto the lead and came back to the finish as the surprise winner of the WRC3 category which is two steps below the WRC category.”
Wahome, the ‘ridding queen’ was later sponsored by Safaricom to the tune of Sh3m during the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) and autocross competitions.
She also participated in the WRC Safari Rally, Voi, Machakos and Ramisi rallies as well as autocross events in Mombasa and Nairobi.
She also competed at the ARC Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally.
Wahome, in July 2022 became the newest driver in the Safaricom and Kenya Airways stable under the FIA Rally Star Programme.
This is a global initiative that seeks to identify, train and develop talented drivers aged between 17 and 27.
In April 2022, the kindergarten teacher emerged the winner of the Inaugural Lioness All-Women’s Rally at Kasarani where she edged Natasha Tundo in a nerve-racking speed test tussle.
Wahome was on Wednesday released on a cash bail of Sh100,000 after spending two nights in police custody.
Police sort to detain her for 14 days after being charged with grievous harm to the boyfriend, saying he is still unconscious and in critical condition at the high-dependency unit.
The court heard that during the arrest of Wahome, the police found a lot of blood in the house and broken glasses.
Her lawyers had asked the court to gag the media from covering the case saying she is the victim and not the aggressor in the matter.
The matter is still in court.
