National deaf handball men’s team coach Jack Ochieng reckons they are more than equipped to do Africa proud by excelling at next month’s Deaflympic Summer Games in Caxias do Sul, Brazil.
Ochieng said they are buoyed by their good showing at the World Deaf Handball Championships in Brazil in 2018, where they finished fifth.
“After giving a stunning performance in 2018, finishing just outside medal bracket, we’re going to pick from where we left. Going by the level of preparedness we have put in in the last three years, we believe we have the capacity to cause damage to the established sides,” Ochieng said.
The African champions are in a tough Pool ‘A’ alongside Germany, Serbia and fellow Africans, Cameroon. Despite the stature of their opponents, Ochieng is still dreaming of a medal.
“We are going to settle for nothing other than the gold medal, which to us is very realistic because we boast of our top scorer at the 2018 World Deaf championship, Dickson Manyange,” he said.
His comments were echoed by Deaf Handball Federation of Kenya secretary-general Johnstone Mutua, who said the team is growing in leaps and bounds with every match they play.
“Team Kenya comprises of powerful left-back Manyange, who was the second top scorer at the World Championships. This team continues to grow as shown by the results posted in matches against KHF sides,” Mutua said.
He is also confident that the women’s tea debuting at the quadrennial games, will make a huge splash in Brazil.
“The ladies team making a debut in the 24th Deaflympics has the talented duo of Timinah Barasa and Florence Munyala from Nairobi Handball Queens. My prayer is to have the players very well oiled as we seek to do Kenya proud,” he said.
Similarly, Barasa, who starred at last year’s Kenya Deaf Handball Championships, is adamant they will have to work as a team if they are to put on a good show.
“I believe that my teammates are ready for the task ahead. It’s our agility that’s going to maintain our ascendancy. I am proud to make it to the Deaflympics, having missed the previous edition,” Barasa said.
The ladies have been pooled against defending champions Denmark, Turkey and Argentina in a round robin format.
