This archive report was first published on 26 October 2019.
Published on October 26, 2019, national team coach Joseph Makau expressed optimism about Kenya's netball prospects despite a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Africa Netball Cup.
The tournament, held in Cape Town, South Africa, saw Kenya lose to top teams including South Africa, Malawi, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, with their only win coming against Lesotho in a 74-24 thrashing.
Makau attributed the team's struggles to a prolonged absence from international competitions, which had allowed other countries to advance and leave Kenya playing catch-up.
“It was a learning curve for us because Kenya has not been taking part in international events for many years. The standards went high in our absence and we are now forced to play catch up because we are not at the same level with other countries,” Makau said.
However, Makau remained hopeful, citing the team's talented players and the potential for improvement with proper structures and international exposure.
He highlighted the impressive performances of goal shooter Beatrice Wanjiku, goalkeeper Lucy Akumu, and utility players Elsa Ndong and Nancy Auro.
