Team Kenya is celebrating a remarkable achievement at the second edition of the Africa Beach Games as the women’s handball team secured a place on the podium after clinching their second consecutive victory. The thrilling straight sets dismissal of Mali has positioned the Kenyan team as strong contenders for a medal in the five-team round-robin tournament.
In a closely contested match, the Kenyan girls exhibited exceptional determination, with captain Michelle Adhiambo securing the winning goal in the second set, leading her team to a 17-16 triumph. They had earlier dominated the first set, emerging victorious with a score of 12-4.
The team’s strategic decisions, particularly regarding the special player, once again proved fruitful. Captain Adhiambo, this time switching with Gladys Chilo, played a pivotal role in turning the game around during the final four minutes.
Assistant captain Viona Wandera expressed her delight following the hard-fought victory, stating, “We changed the situation and had to re-strategize when it became a bit difficult. We worked as a team and brought the victory home.”
Wandera further commented, “We are really feeling excited because we are now officially in the medal bracket. Now we take a game at a time, the two that remain, and we are pushing to get into the gold bracket.”
Adhiambo led the scoring for Kenya with an impressive 14 points, with Brenda Ariviza contributing six points and Chilo adding four points to the team’s tally. The Kenyan girls, who had displayed their dominance in the opening match against Algeria, showcased a brilliant combination of experience, speed, and youth, making them an unstoppable force on the court.
While the women’s team revels in their success, the men’s team faced elimination after suffering a defeat in their second match of the three-team pool. The men’s team fought valiantly but ultimately lost by straight sets with scores of 22-12 and 18-10.
In another discipline, sprint rowing, the Kenyan duo of Diana Natecho and Harrison Malenga reached the quarter-finals. Both athletes had successfully advanced through the preliminary time-trial stage, but Malenga was defeated in the quarter-finals by Sudan, while Natecho faced tough competition from a local rower.
The afternoon session will see the handball ladies play Uganda while rowing will participate in the mixed category