Deaflympic football team ousted

Kenya national women’s deaf football team coach Ben Bella is calling for the establishment of proper measures to develop the side.

The team was on Tuesday morning eliminated from the 24th Summer Deaflympics in Caxias Do Sul in Brazil without registering a single win.

In their last match of the competition, played at the Estadio Das Castanheiras, Kenya lost 13-0 to USA. Previously, Kenya lost 12-0, 8-1 and 8-0 to Japan, Brazil and Poland respectively.

“What the teams we have been facing do is that they start the project at a very early age which is not the case with us. Most of our players started playing when they were adults. We should start nurturing the talents at infancy and I believe that with time, we will be able to compete favourably against the top teams,” said coach Bella.

Strong team

Bella said that the government has really supported the team and was optimistic that such treatment will help to build a strong team.  Meanwhile, Kenya won the men’s 1500m race and bagged a bronze medal in the women’s 400m races at the Sesi Centro

Esportivo Athletics Track on Tuesday.

Ian Kahinga breezed to the tape for the gold while Linet Fwamba Nanjala had a photo finish for the bronze.

Ironically, defending champion John Koech did not compete in the race as he has been entered for the men’s 800m contest.

“Koech failed to qualify for the race during the national trials held in Nairobi, but we are glad we got new blood like Kahinga who have helped Kenya to retain the title,” head coach Samuel Kibet explained.

Concerning his victory, debutant Kahinga said: “I feel so happy, I’m really very happy to have won my first international crown, I have never competed outside Kenya before, so this good news is so heavy for me to bear.”

Inspired Kahinga said he will now go for the 5,000m title to be defended by Simon Cherono Kibai.  “Kibai should brace for a tough battle,” Kahinga warned.