Kenya is banking on players’ experience, and familiarity with one another to deliver a strong performance in men’s handball at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics scheduled for November 15 to 26.
Kenya will be making its second appearance in the quadrennial multi-sport event after debuting in 2022 in Caxias Do Sul, Brazil.
The team is in Group “B” alongside Croatia, Serbia and France while Group “A” consists of Japan, Germany, Turkey and Brazil.
With barely a month remaining before the Games start, Kenya’s 18-man squad has intensified its preparation at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
The team is under the tutelage of experienced coach Jack Habert.
“The only reinforcement I have done in the team is just to instill new blood, just about five young players but it is composed of the old guards, who have played for a long time and they know each other,” said Habert.
“This is why I am telling you I have confidence in this team because they know one another. They have the chemistry of play,” he added.
With Kenya having finished fifth in the 2018 World Deaf Handball Championships held in Brazil, and sixth in last edition’s Deaflympics, the coach said their target in Tokyo is a podium finish. “The first time we participated in the World Championship, we were number five, in the last Deaflympics we were number six, so I can say that our target this time is to reach the podium,” he said. Kenya qualified for the Tokyo Deaflympics by virtue of being the African champions. Habert said they have shifted focus to making the team more intense. “We started preparations a long time ago. Now we just need to polish the team to reach the Deaflympics standard. We want to make it more intense to match the other top teams at the Deaflympics level,” he said.
Still reveling over his appointment as the team’s captain, Joel Kiilu said he is ready to lead the team to victory. He said they have incorporated into their training the key lessons learnt in the 2018 World Deaf Handball Championships and the last Deaflympics.
“I really feel good being the team’s captain. That is a very big opportunity. I am ready to lead the team to a win,” said Kiilu.
“In the World Deaf Handball Championships held in Brazil and the Deaflympics, our team performed well and we picked a lot of lessons which we have included in our training. We have really improved in our attack and generally our game. Our eyes are wide open, we are going to the Deaflympics much better, much improved, so I’mnsure there is a medal coming home with us.”
He said they don’t fear any team in the Games.
“I don’t think it is going to be tough because we have observed how our opponents play. Serbia we are ready to meet them, for Croatia, we have not met them yet but we have checked on their tactics, how they play so I would say that they are no far from us. Kenya we are going to do our best, we are not afraid at all,” said the captain