Deaflympics: Kenya All Set To Defend Title In Second Edition Of Africa Deaf Athletics Championships At Kasarani
Ochieng Oyugi
NAIROBI, Kenya- Kenya will start its title defense campaign at the second edition of Africa Deaf Athletics Championships at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi on Saturday.
Apart from guarding the team title, the country will be out to defend the 10000m, 5000m, 3000m steeplechase and the marathon titles, in both men and women, at the competition that will end on December 1.
Kenya has entered over 100 athletes in the contest involving eight nations from across Africa.
Other countries looking for glory are Ghana, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Morocco, Gabon, Cameroon, Mali and Zanzibar.
“Twenty countries confirmed their participation but due to logistics, some could not make it.
“Some were put down by finances while others had travelling drawbacks,” Kenya Sports Federation of the Deaf (KSFD) President Miriam Opondo told Standard Sports.
The Kenya athletics team entered camp two weeks ago and has been upping training at various venues including the Nyayo Stadium, Uhuru Gardens and the Ngong Hills.
Opondo, who doubles up as the Confederation of Africa Deaf Sports (CADs) Secretary General, believes the adequate preparations that Kenya has had before and during the camp will increase the country’s medal tally, especially gold, in the championships.
“Kenya has prepared well, this time round we are even confident to reap medals in the 100m,” Opondo underlined.
Opondo has thanked the State for coming on board to support the continental showpiece which will also act as a qualifier for the World Deaf Championships to be staged in June 2024 in Japan.
The Kasarani tournament was preceded by a high-profile two-day seminar in Nairobi which was graced by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) President Adam Kosa and CADs President Mohammed Madoun.
The attending delegates were taken through lessons in anti-doping, sports technology and ethics and sportsmanship.
Kenya hosted the inaugural edition of the continental athletics championships in Nairobi in 2019.
Opondo assured they have rectified the challenges realized four years ago in the first edition; she has pledged that this year’s contest will be well managed.
“We learnt several lessons in 2019 that have now been put into good use,” she stated.
Opondo has called upon Kenyans to turn up at Kasarani in large numbers to cheer the Kenyan team in their hunt for medals.
Apart from looking forward to take part in the world championship next year in Japan, other international contests that Kenya will take part in are the Deaflympics Youth Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil in January and the Winter Deaflympics in Turkey in March.
Last year, Kenya hosted the Africa Deaf Games which also acted as qualifiers for the 24th Summer Deaflympics held in Caxias Do Sul in Brazil.
Team Kenya amassed a record 24 medals (5 gold, 7 silver,12 bronze in Brazil to top Africa.
