St Catherine’s Butula Special School brought pride to Busia County when they won silver medals in volleyball girls at the just concluded Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The team put up a spirited fight before losing to Peru 0-2 (26-28, 28-30) in a thrilling final to settle for silver medals.
Team Busia comprised Purity Akinyi, Beatrice Bilo, Laureen Madoe, Christine Mukwe, Leah Nawade, Laureen Ochieng, Mary Onyango, Dolphin Onyango, Branice Juma and team captain Roda Kakai.
Head coach Fredrick Nawade said commitment and regular training saw the team come near to emulating their 2011 performance when they clinched gold in Athens, Greece.
Nawade said they sent a team for the first time in china in 2007 where they lost to hosts in the final.
They failed to make it in 2015 games in Los Angeles, USA but instead the school sent Beach volleyball team which took fourth position.
St Catherine’s Special School Principal Florence Ndeka said she is impressed with the exposure of her students and the fact that they beat senior countries on the way to qualifying for the finals.
“I ask President Uhuru Kenyatta to recognize and motivate them like he does to other teams that represent Kenya outside the country, we feel we belong to them,” she said.
Assistant coach Laureen Nekesa said Kenyan teams performed well at the games clinching a total of 12 gold medals, 8 silver and 5 bronze.
Kenya sent 71 participants in football, basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball, handball, athletics, bocce, cycling, golf, and swimming and Open Water swimming.