Kenya's deaf badminton quartet is bullish about making a debut statement at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics slated for November 15 to 26 in Japan.
The country will be represented in the discipline by four seasoned players, including Titus Kiprop, 30, Joseph Kago, 33, Teresa Wambui, 32 and Maryline Wanjiru, 31.
The quartet will take to the courts in men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, as well as mixed doubles, carrying the nation’s hopes in their first-ever Deaflympics appearance. Guiding them is former national top seed in men’s doubles, Morgan Kirimi, now serving as head coach.
Under his stewardship, the team has been training three times a week; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, splitting sessions between Pumwani Social Hall and Nairobi’s Jaffrey Sports Club.
Speaking on the sidelines of training at Jaffrey, skipper Wambui was upbeat about their prospects, stressing the team’s hunger to make history in Tokyo.
“I feel very happy to be among the players who will represent the country internationally in deaf badminton for the first time. I aim to bring a medal back home,” she said.
The captain further acknowledged that the government’s lucrative reward package for medallists in global competitions serves as an extra motivator as they chase podium finishes.
Born deaf in Kilifi County, Wambui only discovered badminton in 2019 after switching from football, a sport she admits never matched the passion she found on the shuttle court. Alongside her teammates, the Karen Technical Training Institute for the Deaf alumna secured her spot during trials held in Mombasa.
In preparation for Tokyo, the squad has been testing itself against hearing players to sharpen its edge. Wambui believes the exposure has been invaluable.
“The training has been very intense. We know the competition at the Deaflympics will be tough, so we just have to keep going."
"Competing with hearing players has been good exposure because they are better players,” she noted.
Coach Kirimi, a Badminton World Federation (BWF) accredited international trainer and currently pursuing a certificate course in sports coaching at the University of Nairobi, is equally bullish.
“My target as a coach is to bring fame to the country. I am hoping to get some medals. The players are very keen to bring glory to the country because just recently we were told that if you win a gold medal, you will get Sh3 million, so every player is keen to get more package on that,” he added.
