Nairobi: Winnie Adhiambo, a key player for Kenya's basketball team, is set to lead her country at the Tokyo 2025 Summer Deaflympics Games, scheduled from November 15 to November 26 this year. The 34-year-old mother of one embraced basketball at 19, inspired by friends, and has grown passionate about the sport, playing for Footprints in the Kenya Basketball Federation League. As captain, she aims to guide Kenya to a historic medal finish.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Tokyo Games mark Kenya's third consecutive participation in women's basketball at the Deaflympics, having debuted in the 2017 event in Samsun, Turkey. The Deaflympics, or Deaflympiad, is a series of elite multi-sport events for deaf athletes, sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee.
Adhiambo, with experience playing alongside non-hearing-impaired players, emphasizes the importance of honing the team's offense, defense, and key drills like man marking ahead of the games. "We have been training so hard and our main aim is to make it to the podium in Tokyo," Adhiambo stated during a media briefing at USIU-Africa Grounds in Nairobi. She also highlighted the advantage of training with hearing friends, which has enhanced her skills.
Coach Mary Chepkoi chose Adhiambo as captain for her leadership and courage to compete beyond the Deaf team. Chepkoi, who also coached the team at the 2022 Games in Caxias Do Sul, Brazil, noted Adhiambo's readiness to compete on any platform. In Brazil, Kenya achieved a historic win against the hosts, which they aim to surpass in Tokyo. The team is in Group 'A' with Italy, Lithuania, and Australia.
According to Chepkoi, the 20-player squad trains three times weekly. With players from various regions, the team focuses on fundamental basketball skills due to limited exposure to training. Chepkoi expressed optimism for improved results, acknowledging Lithuania as a significant threat in their group.
Christine Kirui, Chairperson of the Kenya Deaf Basketball Federation, expressed confidence in the team's potential to win a medal in Tokyo. "We are promising Kenyans that when we reach Tokyo in Japan, we are going to get a medal and bring it home," Kirui stated, emphasizing the pride a medal would bring to the nation.
In contrast to other International Olympic Committee events, Deaflympics athletes rely on adapted officiating methods due to the absence of sound cues, using visual signals like flags and lights. Spectators traditionally wave with both hands, the Deaf form of applause, to support the athletes.