The national 3×3 wheelchair basketball captain Eunice Adhiambo has expressed confidence the team will justify their presence at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games with a win in their first fixture against England on Saturday.
Adhiambo said they had sharpened their claws for two months and a scintillating show in a friendly match against South Africa on Thursday attested to their potential in the quadrennial global showpiece.
“On Thursday, we had a friendly match with South Africa and our performance surprised them quite a lot. There is a marked improvement in how we play.
“I can say that we are ready for the first game. We have trained well since we arrived here in Birmingham. We shall do our best. Everything is okay apart from the weather that keeps changing.”
She fired a warning shot at their first rivals in the competition England, telling them to brace up for a vicious battle.
“We hope our game against England will produce good results. We are very much ready for the task ahead.”
Adhiambo thanked the government for facilitating their preparations and providing the team with new wheelchairs.
“We have prepared very well and I can't complain much. The government has equipped us with new wheelchairs and we are thankful. Secondly, the government has catered for all our expenses as we prepared for these championships.”
She thanked her parents for their duty in raising her, saying she couldn't have come thus far without their determination and support.
“I wish to thank my parents for siring and raising a child who can now represent the country in wheelchair basketball. I'd like to assure them that disability is not inability.
The South African and Kenyan 3×3 women’s wheelchair basketball national teams will represent the continent after qualifying for the 2022 Games earlier in the year.
The 3×3 wheelchair basketball is the newest para-sport discipline featured at this year’s showpiece set to take place from July 28 to August 8.
During the final draw conducted by both the Commonwealth Games and International Wheelchair Basketball Federations, Kenya, Canada and England were drawn in Group A, while South Africa joined Scotland and Australia in Group B.
The matches will be played in a round-robin phase followed by the semi-finals and final round at Smithfield, which will be the home for both wheelchair basketball and volleyball during the event.
