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Kenya: Government to Build Deaf-Sport Capacity Ahead of Next Deaflympics Cycle

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3 years ago

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Caxias — The Government of Kenya is determined to build capacity in a bid to support the country’s fortunes at the 2025 Summer Olympics to be held in Japan.

The essence, according to Principal Secretary, State Department for Culture and Heritage, Josephta Mukobe, is to present a stronger, bigger and more experienced Deaf contingent for the next Deaflympics cycle.

Speaking from Caxius Do Sul, Brazil where Kenyan is being represented in women’s soccer, athletics, handball and basketball, Mukobe underscored the need to build capacity across all Deaf sports to ensure that more teams attain qualifying standards well in time for 2025.

“Our long-distance runners have done well, but there are other sporting activities that we did not qualify. And so, our role is to go back to the drawing board and identify those other sporting activities that are not up to standard.”

“We will strive to train the Deaf community so that quality is injected to all disciplines ahead of the the next cycle of the Games. So come 2025, we can have more disciplines entered by Team Kenya than just the six that we were participating in at this edition,” explained Mukobe.

Mukobe expressed satisfaction in the manner in which the athletes have performed, adding: “We came here to perform. We didn’t come to look at the trees. Yes, we are admiring the trees; this country is well populated with trees but our reason for coming here is to win medals.”

“I’m excited about the performance of Kenyans, especially when we clinched the first four positions in the 10,000m race. The Deaflympics goes to show that Kenya takes all sports seriously and specifically sports with persons with disability.”