Kenya 3×3 men and women wheelchair basketball national teams crushed out in the semi finals against Nigeria , as South Africa and Nigeria finally carried the day and booked a direct ticket to the 2026 Commonwealth Games (XXIII Commonwealth Games) scheduled for Glasgow, Scotland, July 23 – August 2, 2026.
Speaking on Thursday, March 26, 2026 from the Arena Pavilao Multiuso do Kilamba in Luanda, Angola, women’s national team captain Caroline Wanjira was thankful for the exposure admitting that her charges were still a work in progress and will proudly carry home the lessons learnt in the two day continental Showdown.
” We had a blend of young and experienced players. It’s takes time to gel, we have given in the best fight we could and the semis results show for it,” said Wanjira proudly.
” Kenya will bounce back. We came here and have seen whats going on, next time it’s us making history to the global stage,” Wanjira promised.
Kenya started their campaign on Wednesday, with the ladies team losing to champions South Africa 8-2 and Nigeria 8-0 in their second game.
The men played three games , losing 19-8 against South Africa, a one point loss against Nigeria 7-6 and beating Gambia 10-4.
On Thursday, Kenya’s women lost 5-2 against a physically imposed Nigeria, while the men also lost 10-6 to the same opponents, last minute scores caused by a few technicalities.
The Nigerians were no match to eventual tournament winners , South Africa (The Sasol Wheela boys ) men, who beat them 13-8 while the ladies, returned the favor to the girls from the south, Nigeria beating South Africa 8-3, both teams directly booking their ticket to Glasgow in July this year.
Meanwhile, Kenya 5×5 men and women wheelchair basketball national teams who have been camping at the Jose Armando Savoyo Paralimpico in Bengo Province, will depart to Luanda and begin their games at the Arena Pavilao Multiuso do Kilamba on Friday, with Kenya women playing Liberia at 11.30 am local time, while Kenya’s men will battle homeboys Angola at 6:00 pm.
The 5×5 campaign will see eventual Africa champions in both genders qualifying for the 2026 International Wheelchair Basketball Federation ( IWBF) World Championships in Ottawa, Canada from 9-19 September, a must do for Kenya’s men and women, coming after the narrow miss to the July Glasgow games that will have 3,000 athletes from 74 nations.
