Sonigra proud of Kenya despite BCA Region V AirBadminton final loss

Kenya lost 60-52 to Uganda in the final, but Sonigra praised his players after Tuesday’s final against hosts Uganda, saying the team gave its best despite this being their first AirBadminton competition while acknowledging the advantage enjoyed by the hosts.

"It was a hotly contested match; however, unfortunately, we lost 60-52. Overall, the result is not what I wanted, but on a bigger picture, I think we have gained a lot more experience and understood more about AirBadminton and met some other good players and coaches with whom we shared ideas.

"So I feel we are in a much stronger place and hopefully in our next tournament we will be able to give a much better performance because we have the team to do it and we have the structures to do it better." Said Sonigra.

In the regional championship that began on Monday in a round-robin format, Kenya made a strong start in the women’s triples, Yvonne Mwikali, Blessing Buyanzi and captain Jacinta Sengera secured a 15-3 victory over Marie Michelle Louange Musingize, Benie Christa Shimo Gashema, and Vanessa Urusaro of Rwanda.

On the men’s side, Captain Sammy Sikoyo and Edwin Akwanyi won the men’s doubles 30-13 against Yves Niyomukiza and Hervé Tuyizere, before Sengera and Buyanzi triumphed 45-18 in the women’s doubles.

Sikoyo, Akwanyi, and Simiyu completed Kenya’s clean sweep against Rwanda with a 60-29 victory in the men’s triples.

Kenya maintained its momentum against Comoros, with Sengera and Mwikali winning the women’s doubles 15-4 against Nouzouhat Ahamada and Roza M'Hadji.

In the men’s triples, Simiyu, Sikoyo, and Akwanyi defeated Bacar Chamsidine, Mounya Kamardine, and Said Mohamed 30-11, while the women’s triples team won 45-11.

Simiyu and Akwanyi also claimed victory in the men’s doubles, beating Bacar Chamsidine and Ibrahim El-Haya 60-16.

On Tuesday’s final day Kenya defeated Burundi 60-41 before facing unbeaten hosts Uganda in the decisive encounter.

Uganda eventually secured the gold medal after beating Kenya 60-52, leaving Sonigra’s team with silver.

Kenya will now turn its attention to the 2026 Kampala International Badminton Tournament, scheduled for September 24 to 27 at Lugogo Indoor Stadium.

The tournament will bring together players from Kenya, Uganda, Myanmar, Luxembourg, India, Iran, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Algeria, the United States and Malaysia, who will compete in men’s singles, women’s singles, women’s doubles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles.