Atuka, Too feted as Africa Club Championships ends

While many a career have been sidetracked or lost due to injury, some sports stars have used the setback as a catalyst for bigger and better things.

Kenya Pipeline duo Triza Atuka and Naomi Too are perfect examples of players who have rebounded from injury and returned to stardom.

Following a career threatening knee injury in 2019 that saw her rupture her Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PLC), Atuka was out of action for two years before she made a comeback in 2021 during the Kenya Volleyball Federation National League.

Atuka, 30, on Monday was awarded the Best Blocker at the African Clubs Championship in Tunisia, where Pipeline finished second behind eventual winners Zamalek Sporting Club of Egypt.

The Oilers lost 3-1 and failed to reclaim the trophy they last won in 2005. Last year, Pipeline won a bronze medal.

Naomi Too, who also picked an Anterior Cruciate Ligament during the Kenya Volleyball Federation National League Play-offs in 2019, was named the Best Receiver.

Atuka, who missed missed the 2020 Olympic qualifiers in Cameroon, the delayed Tokyo Olympic Games and last year’s World Championship in the Netherlands, dedicated the accolade to the National Olympic of Kenya (NOC-K) Strength and Conditioning specialist, Geoffrey Kimani who walked with her through her recovery.

“I didn’t want it to end there. I didn’t want the injury to bring to an end the career that had just picked. Remember in 2018 I had undergone stomach surgery and at some point I felt it was too much, but Kimani's encouragement kept me going. I also had a good support system around me who pushed me and never gave up on me and looking back now, I’m glad I chose the long route.

I’m happy that after my return to competitive championship, I was awarded. This goes to show that patience, determination and hard work pays. I have always put in the work and humbled that my efforts don’t go in vain,” Atuka told Nation Sport.

“I’m also indebted to the Kenya Pipeline Company management for their unwavering support and more so the Managing Director Joe Sang who has been here with us and watched us play in the final. It was a tough match and we gave our all but it’s unfortunate we lost. We have picked lessons that we hope will be crucial in our title defence back home,” she added.

Atuka, who also won the award at the 2017 edition in Egypt, was named in the Africa Dream Team.

Garuda Ahmed, Hana Sanad, Farida Ahmed from Zamalek, Dallal Achour from Moulodia and the pair of Jihen Mohammed and Raghda Smida from Carthage of Tunisia formed part of the Dream Team alongside Too.

Too, who partners Veronica Adhiambo in the beach volleyball, said she was happy to receive the personal award. KVF acting chairman Charles Nyaberi lauded Pipeline for making it to the final.

"The two awards are a befitting reward to the KPC team which worked its way through a tricky group of opponents to make it to the final. It is good to see Atuka  regaining her old form and place as the continent's Top Blocker. She is consistent and executes her centre attacks and blocks with precision. Too used her vast experience and beach volleyball exposure well. Her reception was accurate and she deserved to win the award.”

Pipeline and KCB, who finished fifth, are scheduled to jet back in the country on Wednesday at 7:25am at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).