Bramwell Koli won an individual bronze medal and also teamed up with Michelle Yegon to claim a doubles silver medal on Sunday in Mersin, Turkey, during the ongoing World Abilitysport Youth Games.
Speaking to Radio Generation on Sunday evening after the medal presentation, Kenya Para Badminton Federation president Alfred Simiyu praised the athletes and reiterated his desire to conduct a nationwide talent search once the team returns home.
“These are youngsters that we have scouted from different schools across the country,” Simiyu said over the phone.
“We have to go everywhere and work with teachers and parents so that these children can come out and play. In addition, we are trying to secure the right infrastructure for them because persons with disabilities require different sporting facilities compared to able-bodied athletes,” Simiyu added.
Despite losing in the semifinal, Bramwell Koli did not lose heart. He fought his way through the third-place playoff to secure a bronze medal in the individual category.
Koli then teamed up with former Joytown Special School multi-talented athlete Michelle Yegon, who also plays wheelchair basketball, in the para badminton doubles event.
Koli competed in the Class Four Standing category, while Yegon, competing in the wheelchair class, advanced to the finals. However, they sadly lost and settled for silver in the doubles category.
Ability Sports Kenya sent athletes in three disciplines, the newly introduced para dance, para fencing, and the well-established para badminton, to the second edition of the global event in Turkey, which began on June 15 and will conclude on June 22.