By Francis Onyach - Reporter
Kenya, November 20, 2025 - After a tough run at the Tokyo 2025 Summer Deaflympics, Kenya’s Deaf Women’s Basketball coach Mary Chepkoi has urged for more competitive match experience to boost the team’s future performance.
The Kenyan team wrapped up their campaign on Wednesday without a single win, after being placed in Group “A” alongside basketball powerhouses Australia, Lithuania, and Italy. Other pools included Greece, Ukraine, and Japan in Group “B,” and Chinese Taipei, Turkey, the USA, and Poland in Group “C.”
Kenya endured heavy defeats, falling 104–30 in their opener before losing 114–42 to Italy. Their final game ended in a 90–33 setback against Lithuania.
“We always improve toward the end of tournaments. What we need are more games before these big events,” Chepkoi said, emphasising her plans to have the team registered in the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) Women’s Leagues to gain valuable experience.
She also revealed intentions to recruit more young players through high school development programmes while encouraging senior athletes to transition into coaching and officiating roles. “Bringing in younger talent will help us compete better internationally,” she added.
Jaxon Indakwa, Director of Sports at the Ministry of Sports, assured the team of government backing: “Past challenges affected your exposure, but that’s now behind us. We aim to build a stronger, more competitive team ahead of the next Deaflympics.”
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Meanwhile, Kenya made its debut in Deaflympics swimming on Thursday, with team captain Francis Gichuhi and Suheib Jimale competing in the 100m backstroke.
Gichuhi was disqualified due to a technical error, while Jimale struggled with his time, but both expressed optimism about improving in future events. “I’ve learned a lot, especially about my wall turns. I’ll practice harder and aim for a medal next time,” Jimale said.
For Gichuhi, it was a valuable experience: “This was my first Deaflympics event, and the pressure was immense. I’ve done my best even though backstroke isn’t my main event.”
Coach Irene Kerubo remained upbeat about their prospects. “It was a good start. The pressure may have slowed them, but I’m confident they’ll perform better in upcoming events,” she noted. Kenya’s men’s deaf handball team is next in line, facing Germany in Friday’s quarter-finals.
