This archive report was first published on 2 September 2019.
Published on September 2, 2019
Kenya's Malkia Strikers, the African Games women's volleyball champions, have shifted their focus to the 2019 World Cup and 2020 Olympic Games qualifiers.
At the helm of the team is Paul Bitok, who has been confirmed as the head coach by the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF).
Bitok has bolstered his team by calling up two more players - Kenya Commercial Bank centre Lorine Chebet and Kenya Prisons libero Elizabeth Wanyama - ahead of the September 14-29 World Cup in Japan.
The team will also compete in the African qualifiers for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in January next year. Kenya has not qualified for the Olympic Games since 2004.
Speaking at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi upon arrival from Rabat, Morocco, Bitok expressed his gratitude to the players for showing commitment, self-discipline, and selflessness in retaining the African title.
“We do not have time to try out new players or change the system since we only have a few days before leaving for Japan,” Bitok said.
Bitok also thanked the players for their unity, which he believes was a key factor in their success.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) has requested Sh10 million from the government to fund the team's campaign in the World Cup.
However, some team officials have complained about not being paid their local and overseas allowances, with only a few cases reported due to a mix-up in athletes' bank account details.
Speaking at the airport, Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed assured that the government has approved the federation's budget for the World Cup and that things will be fine going forward.
