Rael Kulova and Deborah Naserian have set their sights on representing Kenya in Judo at the 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal.
The two teenagers aim to make their return to Dakar memorable, having secured silver and bronze medals in their respective cadet categories at the Africa Open Judo Championships held in Senegal a fortnight ago.
Kulova, 15, and Naserian, 16, view the upcoming Africa Open Judo Championships in Casablanca, Morocco, scheduled for January 17-18 next year, as a pivotal step in achieving their Youth Games dreams.
The duo also sees the event as an opportunity to pave their path toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, inspired by Zeddy Cherotich, who made history in July as the first Kenyan woman to compete in Judo at the Olympics.
“We need to compete in more events to accumulate points for the Olympics,” said Kulova, a Form Two student at Nkoro High School, Kajiado. Kulova, who comes from a family of judokas, won silver in the under-48kg category in Dakar but is determined to improve.
“I committed one mistake which cost me gold against a Senegalese player. I’ve been working on my speed to ensure a better performance in Casablanca,” she added.
Kulova is coached by George Muhindi and trains alongside her brother Micah and cousins Eunice Melisa and Godfrey Muchai, all judokas.
Naserian, a Grade Nine student at Arap Moi in Rongai, Kajiado, claimed bronze in the under-52kg category in Dakar. She is focusing on refining her power and technique.
“First things first, I want to dominate locally before targeting success at the Youth Games,” she said.
National women’s team coach Alice Chebet, along with Japanese tactician Yusuke Utashiro, is optimistic about the young athletes' potential.
“They have great promise. These are judokas we’ll bank on for the 2028 and 2032 Olympic Games. Their participation in tournaments is crucial,” said Chebet.
Currently, over 50 judokas are training at Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) in preparation for the Casablanca event. The Kenya Judo Federation (KJF) plans to select a team of 42 athletes during trials set for December 17-20 at the MISC.
The contingent will include cadets (aged 15-18), juniors (18-21), and seniors (21 and above). Each category will feature seven men and seven women, with additional entries possible in medal-potential divisions. Chebet noted the importance of accumulating points through participation in events like the Africa Open.
“We collected two silver and two bronze in Dakar last month, but we’re aiming for gold in Casablanca. The more events you compete in, the more points you gather for the 2028 LA Olympics,” she said, noting that Cherotich earned her Paris qualification through consistent participation.
Cherotich, who recently won bronze at the Africa Military Games in Abuja, Nigeria, is part of the team preparing for Casablanca.
Joining her are 2021 Africa silver medallist Kelvin Munangwe and other rising stars, all eager to put Kenya’s judo on the global map.
