Kenya Deaf Basketball trials begin ahead of Tokyo Deaflympics

The two-day trials are aimed at selecting 20 players who will head into camp before being trimmed to the final squad of 12.

Counties taking part include Nairobi, Mombasa, Kwale, Nakuru, Kericho, Kisumu, and Nyeri.

The event has already attracted top-tier talent, with promising players as young as 17 years old stepping onto the court, eager to earn a spot on the national team.

Kenya’s women’s national team coach, Mary Chepkoi, expressed her delight at the level of competition and the emergence of fresh talent.

“I am happy the trials have brought out new faces. The future is bright for the team that will be selected,” she said, underscoring the importance of building depth and continuity for the future.

Kenya Deaf Basketball Federation Secretary General, Gilbert Ogolla, acknowledged the challenges of running the trials without external donors, relying mainly on member contributions.

“It hasn’t been easy, but we have managed by delineating responsibilities across the federation. We hope when the team joins camp, we will receive more support from the government and other stakeholders,” said Ogolla.

Among those aiming for a place in Tokyo is Mercy Mideva, a team leader from Kajiado who represented Kenya at the 2023 Brazil Deaflympics.

“My ambition is to work hard and make it into the final team. We will use the experience from the 2022 Olympics to push for better results in Tokyo,” she affirmed.

Kenya enters the 2025 Deaflympics with renewed hope, after the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) lifted its suspension earlier this year.

The ban had been imposed following the country’s failure to send teams to the 2023 World Deaf Handball Championship in Copenhagen and the 2024 World Deaf Youth Games in Sao Paulo.

Currently, Kenya’s men’s team is ranked 12th globally, while the women’s side holds 9th place. With trials ongoing, expectations are high that the final squad will be competitive on the world stage.