This archive report was first published on 8 May 2020.
Kenya's national women's volleyball team, Malkia Strikers, is gearing up for the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic Games next year, with coach Paul Bitok confident of their chances despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking from Eldoret, Bitok revealed that the team's plan to train in Europe and Japan had been approved by the government, and they hope to actualise it in 2021.
"We had good sponsorship. The government had promised us to train here at home, one month in Europe and one month in Asia prior to the Olympics," Bitok said.
Bitok believes that the experience gained from training in Turkey and Japan will be crucial in helping the team dominate continental volleyball and make inroads on the global stage.
"I hope the plan will not change even with the rescheduled Olympics so that we may go on and attain our dream to dominate at the Olympic stage in 2021," Bitok said.
Kenya's Malkia Strikers will face a baptism by fire on return to the Olympics after their last show in Athens in 2004.
They will be up against hosts Japan in Pool A, along with Serbia, the reigning world and European champions, and Rio 2016 silver medalists, as well as Brazil, South Korea, and Dominican Republic.
