Deaflympics: Kenya handball team storms semis
Florence Sanyisa shoots at goal during the national women's Deaf handball team training at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on April 20, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Kenya, who have been improving gradually since their opening clash of the championships with Turkey, showed their bravery and hunger for a first win in the global championships, when they took the game to Argentina’s half from the start
- Champions Denmark and hosts Brazil are the other teams taking part in the women’s handball
- Coach Mwathi, who hailed goalkeeper Lilian Aisha for her brilliant display in the Games said the win over Argentina has motivated them to go for a third place finish
In Caxias Do Sul, Brazil
Kenya escaped elimination in women’s handball here at the 24th Summer Deaflympics with a 35-3 rout over Argentina at the Multi Sport-gym.
The match, which was Kenya’s last of the first round of the competition, where all the five teams taking part in the competition clashed with each other was held Sunday 12pm local time (6pm in Kenya).
Since Argentina have not won any match in the first round, they were eliminated from the contest. In the semi-finals scheduled for this week, Kenya will come up against leaders Turkey while second-placed Denmark will clash with third-placed Brazil.
Turkey tops the standing on 12 points followed by Denmark with nine points. Brazil are third on six points while Kenya are fourth with three points.
Kenya, who have been improving gradually since their opening clash of the championships with Turkey, showed their bravery and hunger for a first win in the global championships, when they took the game to Argentina’s half from the start.
Coach Peter Mwathi’s side led 18-1 at the break. Upon restart, Kenya continued with their brilliant display, scoring 17 more goals, while their struggling opponents only manage two more goals.
Champions Denmark and hosts Brazil are the other teams taking part in the women’s handball. In their opening match of the competition on May 2, Kenya lost 43-16 to Turkey.
They then went down fighting 28-12 against Denmark while Brazil beat them 18-12.
“Remember we are new in this competition but if you look at our scoreline before today’s victory, we have been improving in every match, so we deserved this victory. I am very proud of the girls because they have shown that there is hope in them,” said an elated coach Mwathi.
Coach Mwathi, who hailed goalkeeper Lilian Aisha for her brilliant display in the Games said the win over Argentina has motivated them to go for a third place finish.
“We have improved in every match we have played so I believe everything is possible. We will push to see if we can win bronze,” said Mwathi.
“We have to work on our finishing so that we score more goals. Our attack has to be very offensive to put pressure on the opponents defence while our defence needs to be steel by not allowing the opponents to come close to our goal.”
In the other day eight matches of the competition, which ends on May 15, Kenya women basketball team lost 31-114 to Lithuania at Sesi Centro Esportivo -Sports gym. It was the third loss registered by Kenya in the competition, having previously been thumped 97-28 and 101-20 to Turkey and United States respectively in pool B.
