Kenya shines at Africa Airbadminton Championships

Only two pairs made it to the round of 16, Akwanyi and Mwikali losing 3-0 against Burundi and Sengera/Simiyu, also losing 3-1 against Burkinafaso.

Kenya Airbadminton national team women's tripples won a gold medal while the men's doubles won a bronze at the just concluded Africa Airbadminton championships at Aero Beach in Entebbe, Uganda.

Speaking on Saturday after the women's tripples finals against Egypt national team gaffer Brijesh Sonigra praised his charges, the trio of ladies led by their captain Jacinta Sengera, Blessings Vuyanzi and Yvonne Mwikali for their achievement, and the men's squad led by captain Sammy Sikoyo, Edwin Akwanyi and Calvin Simiyu.

"It's the first time we are playing in Airbadminton, but see what they have achieved," Sonigra said.

"There is so much talent back in Kenya, we now have a huge task ahead to see what else do we have? then nurture them in the right way, soon, the Africa crown will be ours to dominate," he affirmed.

Kenya begun their Saturday campaign with the mixed doubles round of 32, with Akwanyi and Mwikali winning 3-1 against Burundi, Sikoyo and Vuyanzi losing 3-1 against Uganda, Sengera and Simiyu winning 3-1 against Algeria.

Only two pairs made it to the round of 16, Akwanyi and Mwikali losing 3-0 against Burundi and Sengera/Simiyu, also losing 3-1 against Burkinafaso.

In the men's doubles, Sikoyo teamed up with Akwanyi to beat hosts Uganda 3-2 in the round of 32, beat Tunisia 3-0 in the round of 16, beat Benin 3-1 in the quarter finals, only to lose to champions Egypt in the semis 3-2, a painful close tie that settled the duo for a bronze medal; a decision that was arrived at by the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA), awarding two teams each a third place medal, instead of heading to the third place playoffs.

In the Women Doubles Round of 32, Sengera teamed up with Vuyanzi, but lost 3-2 against Burkina Faso.

The tripples category saw Sikoyo teaming up with Akwanyi and Simiyu, but defending Champions Egypt again proved too strong for the Kenyan trio who lost 3-2, but the ladies, Sengera , Vuyanzi and Mwikali got off to a quick start winning 3-1 against Benin.

The Kenyan women beat Uganda 3-1 in the semifinals to book a final ticket with Egypt, a nerve breaking final that sent chills of fears down the spines of the Kenya technical bench.

Sengera, Vuyanzi and Mwikali were no match to the north Africans, dominating and winning all the three sets, to a final score of 3-0, a maiden gold medal for Kenya on her debut Airbadminton continental showdown event away from home.