•Kenya need to win two games to be in the medal bracket which is a Herculean task given there is no local league for the deaf and the entire team is playing at the global stage for the first time.
•“I have the confidence that we will do a good job and bring the gold medal home. The coach has been training us, so as we go into the competition, we will have the skills required to get a medal,” she said.
Team Kenya begin their 24th Summer Deaflympics in Caxias Do Sul, Brazil campaign when the national women’s deaf handball team face a tricky fixture against Turkey on Monday.
The game will be played at UCS Sede – Multisport gym from 12 pm Brazilian time (8 pm in Kenya). In the subsequent days, Kenya will face defending champions Denmark (May 3), hosts Brazil (May 6) and Argentina (May 8) in the games to be played in a round-robin format.
Going into the global event as underdogs, Kenya, under the tutelage of coach Peter Mwathi will be hoping for a bright start in their debut at the Deaflympics.
Kenya need to win two games to be in the medal bracket which is a Herculean task given there is no local league for the deaf and the entire team is playing at the global stage for the first time.
Speaking last week before the team left for Caxias Do Sul, Mwathi said he was impressed by his charges after a four-week training camp at moi Stadium, Kasarani. He is hoping for a good display in Brazil.
“The girls understand what they should be doing. We started with build-up fitness and they responded really well. Their ball-handling technique is really good. I never expected them to pick up that fast. When you have good ball-handling skills, then dealing with other technical aspects, like movement, is very easy,” said Mwathi.
Team captain Timinah Barasa, however, is targeting a podium finish or even the gold medal.
“I have the confidence that we will do a good job and bring the gold medal home. The coach has been training us, so as we go into the competition, we will have the skills required to get a medal,” she said.
Other teams representing Kenya at the games include; men's handball, women's football, athletics (men and women), basketball (men and women), and golfers (three men).