Kenya Baseball5 head coach Joel Wangicho says the team is heading to Dakar to compete for the gold medal.

“We always say that the sky is the limit, and we are going for nothing apart from gold,” Wangicho said.

He said Kenya’s selection to represent Africa at the competition without a prior qualifier reflected the country’s progress and growing reputation in Baseball5.

“Being the country to represent Africa without a prior qualifier tells us that we have a big history in terms of Baseball5,” he added.

However, Wangicho admitted that the team had faced challenges during preparations, particularly in accessing training facilities since returning from Botswana.

“We started well in terms of preparation, but we had a hitch. From the time we left Botswana, the team has been struggling to get training time because we’ve been hosted at a facility where there’s no field of play,” he said.

“I’m worried as a coach because the kind of fitness I wanted to build on from the Botswana game hasn’t been achieved. But all the same, we’re ready for Dakar.”

Despite the setback, Wangicho maintained that the team remained focused on its gold medal ambitions as it prepares to represent Kenya on the international stage.

Team captain Shantel Luciana said leading the squad at the global youth competition is both a privilege and a responsibility.

She expressed confidence in the team’s unity and preparation, saying the players were motivated to make the country proud and reward the support of Kenyans back home.

“We are hoping to win and to bring Kenya something good,” Luciana said.

She added that the belief and encouragement of Kenyans remain a key source of motivation.

“We have trained and prepared well. Representing Kenya, and knowing that they believe in us, is a motivating factor for us. We have to win to make them happy,” she said.