Kenya’s national women’s roll ball team defended their Roll Ball World Cup title on Tuesday with a 5-0 victory over Egypt in the final at the Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Balewadi in Pune, India.
Although the team arrived late for the tournament, the Kenyan women won all their matches, displaying an impressive performance to clinch the title.
During the group stage, Kenya defeated Nepal 8-1, France 10-0, Sri Lanka 6-2, and Egypt 2-1. In the semi-finals, they defeated Poland 2-1 to secure their spot in the final.
This is their third world title in roll ball after winning the first World Cup in 2015 in Chennai City, India, and reclaiming the title in 2019 in the same city.
In the men’s contest, the Kenyan team will face Latvia in the semi-finals on Wednesday. During the group stage, Kenya defeated Sierra Leone 16-0, Iran 8-2, France 18-0, Ivory Coast 10-2, and Sri Lanka 11-0.
Captain Moses Atenya expressed optimism ahead of their clash with Latvia, stating that the team is confident of reaching the final.
Roll ball, which combines roller skating, handball, and basketball elements, is gaining popularity worldwide and has found a following in Kenya.
The success of the national team at the World Cup is likely to encourage more people to take up the sport and foster the development of dedicated playing facilities in the country.
Roll ball is played by two teams, with six players on the court at a time. The objective is to score goals by throwing a ball into the opponent’s net located at either end of the court.
The game is fast-paced and exciting, with players moving around the court on roller skates. One unique rule in roll ball is that players must pass the ball at least once before taking a shot at the goal, which encourages teamwork and strategic gameplay.
