Deaflympics: False start for Kenya as basketball, handball teams taste defeat
.jpg)
Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 16.11.25. | 21:21
The women's basketball side will be back in action on Monday, 17 November against Italy
Kenya's campaign in the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics started on a sour note as both basketball and handball teams were handed defeats on Sunday, 16 November.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for more news
Seeking to kickstart the Summer Games strongly, Kenya women's basketball team was met with a huge reality check, as they went down 104-30 to experienced Australia in court one of Ota-City General Gymnasium.
The team, led by JKUAT Lynx head coach Mary Chepkoi was making their third appearance at the Deaflympics, but failed to lean on their biggest win last time out (2022 in Brazil) as they lost all four quarters of the Group A contest by 44-3, 15-9, 28-8 and 17-10.
Chepkoi, speaking to Team Kenya journalists on site, attributed the team’s huge loss to fatigue, pointing to the long travel to Tokyo from Nairobi.
“We will have a sitting later to talk about today’s game, but we have to adjust before our next match," Chepkoi said, referencing the team's second group game against Italy scheduled for Monday, 17 November.
Kenya’s point guard Mercy Mideva voiced similar sentiments saying: "We have lost the match and of course we are not happy about it. We are hoping to learn from the mistakes and try our our best in the next match to improve our performance."
Lithuania are the group’s other member.
Elsewhere at the Komazawa Olympic Park General Sports Ground Indoor Stadium, Kenya men's handball team fell to a 26-16 defeat to Serbia, marking their false start to proceedings in Group A.
They will look to steady their ship when they face defending champions Croatia and France in their other group fixtures.
The two disciplines are among the five in which Kenya will compete in the 25th edition of the quadrennial multi-sport event that concludes on Wednesday, 26 November.
The rest are athletics, swimming, and golf.
.jpg)
