Eight Kenyan para-badminton players have secured qualification for the 2026 Badminton World Federation (BWF) Para Badminton World Championships, the global governing body has confirmed.
National team coach John Mburu welcomed the news, noting that Kenya now has a stronger chance of competing for top world ranking positions—an important step toward increasing the country’s prospects of qualifying athletes for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games.
The qualified athletes are: Elizabeth Nabwire (SL3), Anthony Ojwang’ and Corrine Mwaniga (SH6), Benson Nduva and Mary Nduku (SL4) and Caleb Omollo, Neema Stency, and Wilson Githinji (SU5).
Coach Mburu clarified that “qualifying” for the 2026 championships means meeting the BWF’s eligibility and performance criteria, which may include world rankings, national team selection, or other federation standards.
He added that athletes can also secure qualification through participation in recognized international tournaments and by fulfilling BWF entry requirements.
The Kenya Para Badminton Federation conducted national trials on Wednesday in Nairobi, attracting 28 athletes.
From these trials, 20 will be chosen for a provisional squad set to compete at the Egypt Para-Badminton International, slated for 12–18 January 2026 in Cairo—the first major global event of the para-badminton season.
With eight players already confirmed for the 2026 World Championships, Kenya now has an opportunity to broaden its talent pool by scouting in secondary schools, colleges, and grassroots programs—a long-held ambition of coach Mburu as he works to build a stronger national pipeline.
