Malkia Strikers captain Mercy Moim aging like fine wine
Malkia Strikers captain Mercy Moim trains at Nyayo National Stadium gymnasium on July 3, 2023 ahead of the team’s travel to Morocco for an FIVB High Performance training camp.
What you need to know:
- In 2016 they appointed the cool, calm and collected Mercy Moim to lead Malkia Strikers.
- Moim took over the reigns from celebrated middle blocker and outside hitter Agala in 2016 during the African Olympic Qualifiers in Cameroon, a position she holds to date.
- Since her appointment the players have never downed their tools.
Having had outspoken captains in Dorcas Ndasaba and Brackcidise Agala that would put the team at loggerheads with Kenya Volleyball Federation(KVF) on many occasions, the federation deliberately decided to go for something new.
In 2016 they appointed the cool, calm and collected Mercy Moim to lead Malkia Strikers.
Moim took over the reigns from celebrated middle blocker and outside hitter Agala in 2016 during the African Olympic Qualifiers in Cameroon, a position she holds to date.
Since her appointment the players have never downed their tools.
Moim, 34, was first called to the national team in 2003 while a student at St Phillips Mukomari Secondary School in Kakamega County.
She featured for Kenya in the African Nations Championship in Nigeria and World Under-23 Championship in Poland before becoming a mainstay in the senior team.
“I have played for the national team for over 20 years and there is nothing I can attribute to my longevity if not for the discipline, hard work and determination,” she said on Thursday.
“I don't mix issues and my level headed approach to the issues has also kept me going. I try to help new players where I can and I thank God that since my maiden appearance in the national team, I have not been sidelined by injury or dropped from the team.”
Moim, who moved to KCB from Kenya Prisons in 2019, is the oldest player in the Malkia Strikers team selected for the FIVB Challenger Cup in France from July 27-30.
A squad of 16 players began travelling on Thursday in batches to Morocco for an FIVB High Performance Training ahead of the Challenger Cup.
After the tournament in France, Malkia Striker will head to Cameroon for the African Nations Championship that will run from August 6 to 18.
The Challenger Cup will involve eight nations including hosts France, Mexico, Sweden and Colombia. The others are Croatia, Ukraine, Kenya and Vietnam.
Countries will be chasing points for qualification to the 2024 Paris Games.
Moim said she fell in love with volleyball at first sight. “When I was at Kaboywo Primary School in Mt Elgon, I saw my sister (Alice Chebet) playing the game and I jumped into it. The rest is history.”
The experienced left attacker has had professional stints with Liiga Ploki (Finland), Azerrail Baki (Azerbaijan), Supreme Volleyball (Bangkok) and Oriveden Ponnistus (Finland).
Moim will be in the company of Veronica Adhiambo, Juliana Namutira, Jemimah Siang’u, Leonida Kasaya and Yvonne Wavinya in the left attacking department.
“These players are coming up well and I like the healthy competition. I have good cover,” she simply said.
Then she added: “But I will be around for a while.”
