This archive report was first published on 26 October 2021.
On October 26, 2021, the shores of Lake Victoria in Homa Bay County witnessed the inaugural National Beach Volleyball competition, which saw Brian Melly and Naftali Chumba emerge as the winners of the male category.
Beach volleyball, played by two teams on both sides of the net, is a variation of the conventional game with six players. The competition, held over two days in Mbita town, attracted 15 teams from various regions of the country, with 11 teams competing in the men's category and four in the women's category.
Melly and Chumba secured their victory by defeating Sila Makiso and Edward Kibet 2-0 (21-8, 21-16) in the final match, held at Mbita Tourist Hotel. They had earlier reached the final by dismissing Nicholas Lagat and Noah Bet 2-0 (21-7, 21-13) in the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Gladys Wangui and Phosca Kasisi took home the top prize in the women's category, with Maureen Wekesa and Imenza Mercy securing the second position. Marion Indeche and Joan Barasa, and Lilian Adoyo and Jane Agaya came in third and fourth places, respectively.
The winners were awarded trophies and a packet of tea leaves, while the teams that took the second and third positions received cash awards of Sh8,000 and Sh5,000, respectively.
Deputy President of the Kenya Volleyball Federation Charles Nyaberi, Chairman of Beach Volleyball Commission Moses Mbuthia, and Homa Bay County Chief Officer for Sports Moses Buriri expressed their commitment to nurturing the talents of young athletes in the county, with the aim of enabling them to participate in international beach volleyball tournaments in the future.
“We have discovered that Homa Bay County has many beautiful beaches suitable for beach volleyball,” said Nyaberi. “We encourage the youths in this area to play beach volleyball as a recreational sporting activity, as it is therapeutic and enhances body fitness.”
Mbuthia announced that the next competition will be held in one month, either in Machakos or Mombasa, while Buriri expressed optimism that the tournament will improve tourism in the county.
