• DISABILITY SPORTS

• Frank Rotich 6 hrs ago

Kenya finish seventh in Wheelchair Africa 5x5 Championship

Kenya’s men’s wheelchair basketball team ended the Africa 5x5 Championship campaign in style with a dominant 72-13 win over Liberia in Luanda, Angola.

The Kenyan side was in full control from the start, showing class and discipline throughout the match. By halftime, they had already built a comfortable 37-7 lead before completing the big victory at full time.

Team captain Ian Kanji praised his players for their effort, saying they gave their best despite facing strong competition in the tournament.

He noted that Kenya was placed in a tough group alongside some of Africa’s top teams, including sides from North Africa with better structures and professional leagues.

Kanji also pointed out the gap in development, saying countries like Senegal, Morocco, and Egypt have stronger investment in wheelchair basketball, while South Africa even held a training camp in Spain ahead of the tournament.

The match against Liberia was a classification game to determine seventh and eighth place, but Kenya treated it seriously and delivered a commanding performance.

Kenya’s men finished seventh overall, while the women’s team placed fifth out of six teams after also beating Liberia earlier in the competition.

In the tournament finals, Algeria defeated South Africa 39-22 in the women’s category, while Morocco beat South Africa 59-42 in the men’s final. Senegal secured bronze after edging Algeria 51-48.

Morocco and Algeria have now qualified to represent Africa at the 2026 International Wheelchair Basketball Federation World Championships in Ottawa, Canada.

Despite missing out on qualification, Kenya will return home encouraged, with valuable lessons and experience gained from the continental tournament.