Team Kenya handball coach Jack Habert will bank on experience on their second appearance at the Deaflympic Games, set for Tokyo, Japan, from November 15 to 26.
Kenya debuted in the Deaflympics at the 2022 edition in Caxias Do Sul, Brazil. The team has been drawn in a tough Group ‘B’, alongside Croatia, Serbia and France. Group ‘A’ has Japan, Germany, Turkey, and Brazil.
The 18-man squad is training at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi. Habert is confident the team will impress in the Japanese capital and improve on their sixth-place finish in Brazil. The team finished fifth at the 2018 World Deaf Handball Championships, held in Brazil.
“The only reinforcement I have done in the team is just to instil new blood, just about five young players, but it is composed of the old guards, who have played for a long time, and they know each other,” said Habert.
“This is why I am telling you I have confidence in this team, because they know one another. They have the chemistry of play.”
They target the podium after qualifying for the championships by virtue of being the African champions.
Habert said their focus is to increase the intensity of their game.
“We started preparations a long time ago. Now we just need to polish the team to reach the Deaflympics standard. We want to make it more intense to match the other top teams at the Deaflympics level,” he said.
Team captain Joel Kiilu is ready to lead the side to victory. He said the squad has incorporated lessons learned from the 2018 World Deaf Handball Championships and the last Deaflympics into their current training.
“I really feel good being the team captain. It’s a very big opportunity. I am ready to lead the team to a win,” said Kiilu.
“At the World Deaf Handball Championships held in Brazil and the Deaflympics, our team performed well and we picked up a lot of lessons which we have included in our training. We have really improved in our attack and general game. Our eyes are wide open. We are going to the Deaflympics much better, much improved, so I’m sure there is a medal coming home with us.”
They do not fear any opponent at the Games.
“I don’t think it is going to be tough because we have observed how our opponents play. Serbia, we are ready to meet them; for Croatia, we have not met them yet, but we have checked on their tactics, how they play, so I would say that they are not far from us. We are going to do our best, we are not afraid at all,” said the captain.
by ANGWENYI GICHANA
