Coach Gabriel Mburu is in a buoyant mood after eight Kenyan para-badminton players secured qualification for the 2026 BWF Para Badminton World Championships.
Mburu said the achievements are a “product of sheer hard work and dedication” and now wants the government and corporations to support their next chapter.
“We now need the government to step up funding so that we can prepare properly,” he said. “With the backing we need, this group will be ready to take on the world next season.”
The qualifiers include Elizabeth Nabwire (SL3); Anthony Ojwang’ and Corrine Mwaniga (SH6); Benson Nduva and Mary Nduku (SL4); and Caleb Omollo, Neema Stency and Wilson Githinji (SU5) — a line-up spanning several impairment classes.
Under Badminton World Federation regulations, para-badminton players are classified into six classes — wheelchair (WH1, WH2), standing lower-limb (SL3, SL4), standing upper-limb (SU5) and short-stature (SH6) — to ensure fair and balanced competition.
Qualification is based on meeting BWF’s eligibility and performance thresholds, including world ranking, classification status and participation in sanctioned events.
Kenya held national trials on December 3 at the YMCA, Shauri Moyo, Nairobi, where 28 players competed. 20 will be selected for a provisional national squad, which begins its season at the Egypt Para Badminton International from January 12–18, 2026.
The mood in camp has been lifted by Kenya’s strong showing at the 2025 Africa Para Badminton Championships in Nigeria, where the team finished second overall with 11 medals — four gold, two silver and five bronze. Mburu said the performance has fuelled belief in the squad’s potential.
With eight players already through to the Worlds, the Kenya Para Badminton Federation is now pushing for deeper investment in grassroots talent, targeting schools, colleges and communities, while also planning to increase the number of trained classifiers to ensure athletes are properly registered for international competition.
With qualification secured and a renewed push for long-term development, Kenya stands at a pivotal moment — one that, with adequate support, could reshape its footprint in global para-badminton.
by CHARLENE MALWA
