The Kenyan Special Needs (SNE) learners have dominated the SNE Games bagging gold medal in Showdown and Silver in goalball for the Visually Impaired (VI).
Kenya thrashed Uganda, the only team participating in the showdown, picking both the gold medal for position one and the silver for position two in the girls’ junior category. Uganda settled on position three.
Showdown is a sport for the Visually Impaired similar to regular table tennis, while goalball is a sport for the Visually Impaired adapted from regular Volleyball.
For the boys’ junior secondary school category, Kenya thrashed Uganda 2-1 to lift the showdown gold medal.
In goalball for junior girls, Kenya settled on Silver as Tanzania, the only participating team in the sport, bagged a gold medal.
The Tanzanian goalball coach, Ibrahim Focus, said the competition has become tough compared to earlier years when the sport was introduced for SNE learners in Tanzania.
He noted teachers across the countries are working hard to prepare the learners to be able to have the necessary skills to play the sports and compete internationally.
Focus said they have had four teams in goalball: two junior girls’ teams, one junior boys team, a senior girls and a senior boys’ team.
He said as Tanzania they prepare their goalball players throughout the year, making sure their players are well prepared for international competitions.
The team manager for the Uganda contingent for Special Needs (SNE) Learners, Joseph Opiye Kodeo, said Uganda has lost most of the SNE sports to Kenya but noted that they have picked up a lot of lessons.
“We have got some wins, but we have also lost many games so when we get back to Uganda, we are going to put a lot of effort into training and capacity building of our teachers we are also going to make sure that we improve our facilities and equipment,” he added.
He said the FEASSA games have given an opportunity for SNE learners across the region to compete in an international competition, enabling them to sharpen their skills in various sports.
“We have been able to expose our children to both showdown, goalball and blind football. I believe when these children have an opportunity to play in such an international tournament, it will inspire them to get more courage and more spirited fight to engage in more activities in sports,” he explained.
The National Chair for the Visually Impaired team from Kenya, Charles Sigei, noted that in SNE competition FEASSA participants have been competing in goalball for both the junior school and senior school and showdown for juniors only.
He said Kenya is the only country which had the blind football with no competitors; hence, it used the FEASSA games to showcase it to neighbouring countries.
He said Kenyan teams have been doing very well in FEASSA in this edition as compared to their performances last year.
The Principal, Thika School for the Visually Impaired in Kiambu county, Peninah Mutuku, said that showdown is a new game for the VI noting that only Kenya and Uganda presented athletes.
She said that showdown is an interesting game for the Visually Impaired and it creates listening skills and a lot of creativity, “you have to have sharp learners and participants because you have to concentrate, locate the ball and aim at the pocket.”
Head of the Directorate of Special Needs Education, Ministry of Education, Fredrik Haga said that over the last years the Ministry has increased the number of sports for SNE learners and their participation.
“We have been bringing in more SNE learners and introducing more events and activities to give them a variety of sports to participate in,” he added.
He said that despite the high cost of equipment for special needs games, the government will ensure they access them to continue participating in sports.
By Moses Wekesa
