Kenya beach volleyball teams land in Ghana for Commonwealth qualifiers
Kenya Prisons player Brackcidise Agala stretches for the ball during the third Leg of the Kenya beach Tour at the New Big Tree in Mombasa county on February 27, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Olympians Gaudencia Makokha and Brackcides Agala headline the Kenya women’s team, which has also Naomi Too and promising left attacker Veronica Adhiambo both from Kenya Pipeline.
- The experienced duo of Ibrahim Oduori and James Mwaniki are part of the men’s team that also have General Service Unit setter Nicholas Langat, who will partner with Donald Mchete.
The Kenya men’s and women’s beach volleyball teams arrived safely in Accra, Ghana Tuesday afternoon ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games qualifiers scheduled to serve off Friday.
A contingent of 14, eight players and six officials left the country at 5am aboard an Ethiopia airline with a stop over at the Booe International Airport in Ethiopia, before a connection flight to Kotoko in Ghana.
Men’s beach coach Patrick Owino on phone from Kotoko Airport confirmed that the teams had landed and they were filling online requirements forms after their Covid-19 tests returned negative.
The weather is humid just like in Mombasa and so we are good to go,. We love it that we have arrived early and we have time to acclimatize,” said Owino.
The draws for the event that has attracted 12 nations will be conducted on Thursday.
South Africa, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Gambia and hosts are among the teams that will compete in the event.
Others are Zambia, Mauritius, Seychelles, Rwanda, Mozambique and Botswana. Only top nation in each gender will qualify for the Games.
Kenya Volleyball Federation deputy chairman Charles Nyaberi lauded the government for their unwavering support.
“The charges for Covid-19 tests in Ghana are expensive. Each person is paying Sh16000 and the government has been generous to cater for the cost and we remain indebted,” offered Nyaberi.
Olympians Gaudencia Makokha and Brackcides Agala headline the women’s team, which has also Naomi Too and promising left attacker Veronica Adhiambo both from Kenya Pipeline.
The experienced duo of Ibrahim Oduori and James Mwaniki are part of the men’s team that also have General Service Unit setter Nicholas Langat, who will partner with Donald Mchete.
Traveling squad
Men
Nicholas Lagat, Donald Mchete, Ibrahim Odour and James Mwaniki
Women
Veronica Adhiambo, Naomi Too, Brackcides Agala and Gaudencia Makokha
Coaches
Patrick Owino- men
Salome Wanjala -Wanjala
Head of Delegation- Ben Juma
Team Manager men :Sammy Mulinge
Team Manager - Women:- Mududa Waweru
International Referee:- Nzinga Kyalo
Physiotherapist- Sarah Karongo
