Kenya Junior Baseball5 team prepares for Youth Olympics in Kampala

Kenya's Junior Baseball5 national team has travelled to Kampala, Uganda, for the 2026 East African Regional Baseball5 Championship, scheduled for Friday, June 26. The tournament serves as part of the team’s preparations for the Dakar Youth Olympic Games set for September this year.

Speaking from Kampala on Thursday ahead of the championship, head coach Joel Wangicho expressed confidence in the team’s preparations and their ability to deliver strong performances.

“We have travelled with a balanced squad of ten players, comprising five boys and five girls, reflecting the mixed-gender format of Baseball5,” Wangicho said.

“We arrived in the Ugandan capital on Wednesday night in high spirits and determined to reclaim the regional crown that we narrowly surrendered to hosts Uganda last year,” he added.

Wangicho noted that beyond the regional championship, the competition forms a crucial part of Kenya’s preparations for the upcoming Youth Olympic Games, where Baseball5 will make its highly anticipated Olympic debut.

The regional championship in Kampala features four nations, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and South Sudan, with teams battling not only for regional supremacy but also for qualification to the Africa Super 8 Championships later this year.

The top two teams at the end of the tournament will qualify for the Africa Super 8 Championships, adding further significance to the regional contest.

Kenya will open its campaign on Friday afternoon against Tanzania, with the team eager to make a strong statement as they pursue both regional glory and momentum towards their long-term Youth Olympics ambitions.