Kenya wheelchair tennis coach Peter Wachira has urged the Ministry of Sports to invest in proper equipment for the national team ahead of international competitions.
Team Kenya’s women’s side finished second at the recent African Championships in Morocco, missing out on a ticket to represent the continent at next month’s World Championships in New York.
“I’m pleading with the government to invest in proper wheelchairs for competitions. What the team is using right now are for domestic use. If we look at our competitors, they have good equipment, so we need to invest in that regard,” said Wachira. Wachira also stressed the importance of increased participation in international tournaments to boost competitiveness.
“We also need to ensure that we focus on international tournaments before we go for the African or world events to keep the players active and in good shape by the time they go for competition,” noted Wachira.
The women’s team, comprising Jane Ndenga, Phoebe Masika, Maureen Okoth and Peninah Paul, finished second in a round-robin format. They beat Egypt 3-0 before falling 3-0 to eventual champions Morocco.
The men’s team placed fifth after losses to Egypt, Morocco, Ghana and South Africa, but secured a win over Cameroon. The side featured Rajab Abdalla, Moses Fondo, John Wambua and Daniel Kavoo.
Wachira said the focus now shifts to improving the ranking of top player Phoebe Masika, currently ranked 95, to break into the top 50 and strengthen her chances of qualifying for the Los Angeles Paralympics in two years.
“We are looking at seeing if Masika can get up to speed with tournaments abroad, give her exposure and help her qualify for the Olympics,” he said.
Alternatively, Wachira expressed hope that Kenya can qualify for next year’s Africa Paralympic Games in Egypt. “We need to play at that African level to improve our ranking and look at ways where we can qualify for the big championships so that we can get exposure,” noted Wachira.
He added that Kenya has the talent to compete with the continent’s best if given the right support. “We have the players. What we need is good equipment and exposure, and I believe in the not-too-distant future we can qualify for the big tournaments,” added Wachira.
