Deaf handball team eyes proper camp ahead of Deaflympics Championship

As the two-day Deaf Handball championship concluded at Nyayo Stadium, women's national team head coach Peter Mwathi believes they have their work cut out in preparing the teams for the 24th Summer Deaflympics set for Brazil in May 2022. 

Organisers were using the event to select both the men and women's national teams that will do duty in the Brazil global extravaganza with a provisional squad of 25 expected to be named 

Deaf handball hold championship with national team selection top priority

The championship brought together six men, Nairobi, Kilifi Kakamega, North Eastern, Mombasa and Kajiado as well as three women's teams, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kakamega in a round-robin format where Nairobi teams dominated to win the championship. 

"I have been guiding the Nairobi team in training but the national team will include players from the three teams. Western have very good players and a few more from Mombasa, combined with the Nairobi players will give us a good squad. 

Ahead of the championship, we will need to be training together consistently for three months within which time we will get a chance friendly matches against the Kenya Handball Federation (KHF) league teams to help us gauge our preparedness," said coach Mwathi. 

In the men's event, Nairobi won the title unbeaten in five matches with their biggest victory coming against Mombasa in a 23-0 outcome. Kakamega finished second after registering three wins in five matches while Kilifi were third. 

Nairobi beat Kakamega 18-10, adding to their 12 -3 victory against Mombasa to win the women's title. 

"Now that we have watched all players in action competitively, we will be looking to sharpen several areas when the squad gets to camp. They need to learn a few movements and techniques to beat defenders. Most importantly their level of fitness will need working on. When they are fit every other plays become easier," added Mwathi.