- Kenya secures one silver and six bronze medals at the 10th World Woodball Championship in Malaysia.
- Ben Petros Moseti and David Wairimu Mungai clinch silver after a closely contested fairway doubles final.
- Officials hail the team’s performance and call for greater investment ahead of future international competitions.
Kenya’s national woodball team, composed of determined young players, delivered a stellar performance at the 2026 World Woodball Championship held in Malaysia earlier this week.
Despite facing fierce international competition, the team’s resilience resulted in a total of seven medals: one silver and six bronze. The championship was defined by high-stakes matches and narrow margins.
The 10th World Woodball Championship took place in Perlis, Malaysia, from July 24 to 29, 2026, featuring top international competitors, where Indonesia claimed the overall senior title and Kenya achieved a historic medal haul. The championship was hosted at the University of Malaysia Perlis City Campus.
The tournament, officially opened on July 25, 2026, by the Crown Prince of Perlis, Syed Faizuddin, featured competitors from 14 nations.
Kenya claims seven medals
Kenya’s standout performance came in the fairway doubles, where the duo of Ben Petros Moseti and David Wairimu Mungai advanced to a tense final against Indonesia. After a 4-4 tie in regulation, the match proceeded to a nerve-wracking penalty shoot-out, where Kenya narrowly missed the gold, falling 2-1 to secure the silver medal.
Other medals were won in the singles fairway (men) event by David Wairimu Mungai (bronze) and Jamiah Khalid, who also won bronze. In the fairway doubles (men), Ezra Moseti and David Sang Ebenezer won bronze.
The Kenyan pair of Dorcas Murithi and Jamiah Khalid took bronze in the open doubles (ladies), while in the men’s open doubles event, Ezra Moseti, David Sang, Ben Petros, and David Wairimu also won bronze. In the fairway teams (ladies) event, Team Kenya also won bronze, highlighting the collective strength of the Kenyan squad.
The tournament included players across five age divisions, starting with juniors (5–12 years) and youth (13–17 years). Seniors competed in the 18–28 years category, while veterans were aged 65 years and above. Corporate teams were also eligible to compete regardless of age.
Officials praise team performance
Mr. William Luta, Head of Logistics and Technicals for Team Kenya, praised the team’s effort but noted that there is room for growth in the future.
“This has been a very good performance, even though it fell short of our targets. We expected gold in several categories, but the team fell slightly short of the international expertise utilized by their competitors,” he said.
The Kenyan team’s participation was funded by the Sports Ministry, with Mount Kenya University (MKU) sponsoring training and local transport. Mr. Luta is also the Head of Sports and Creative Arts at MKU.
“We thank God Almighty for the strength, and we must appreciate Coach Mboya for his great contribution in training and encouragement that kept us going,” team captain David Sang was quoted as saying.
In a joint statement, Kenya Woodball President Antony Mwanzia and Secretary General Samuel Litaba emphasised the necessity of international exposure. They expressed gratitude for the government’s sponsorship and called for continued support as the team begins preparations for the 2028 Beach World Cup and the 11th World Cup in 2030.
The following athletes represented the country with distinction. Among the ladies were Loyat Chelimo, Dorcas Murithi, Faith Onyango, Jamiah Khalid, Patience Mutua, Hayden Muasya, Faith Sorimpan Kaelo, and Esther Ngolong.
The men who starred included David Sang Ebenezer, Ezra Moseti, Ben Petros Moseti, David Wairimu Mungai, Remmy Otieno, Paul Maore, and Jeremiah Masasi.
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Indonesia emerged as the overall champions of the 2026 World Woodball Championship, reaffirming its position as a major force in the sport after winning four gold, two silver, and one bronze medal.
Nearer home, Uganda’s women’s doubles team also struck gold at the championship held at the University of Malaysia Perlis City Campus. The pairing of Christine Birungi and Sanyu Mirembe won the women’s doubles title.
The championship concluded with a state dinner and closing ceremony on July 29, 2026, graced by His Highness the King of Perlis, King Sirajuddin ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail. Individual awards were also presented at the King’s discretion.
By John Kamau
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