Paul Bitok tournament to resume next month
Kenya Pipeline middle blocker Gladys Ekaru (right) celebrates a point during their Paul Bitok International tournament match against Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) at Kasarani Indoor Arena in Nairobi on April 8, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Event founder and women's national team coach Paul Bitok said they had secured the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani indoor arena for May 5 to 6 action
- Kenya Pipeline will play Kenya Prisons in one of the semi-finals, while KCB will tackle Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) in another semis in the women’s category
- In the men’s version, Kenya Prisons will play Trailblazers while Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) take on Kenya Defence Forces
The inaugural Paul Bitok International Volleyball tournament final will be played after all.
The event had reached semi-finals stage on April 9, but was put on hold following the death of Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) President Waithaka Kioni.
Kioni was buried last Wednesday at his rural home in Kiamwangi, Gatundu South in Kiambu County.
Event founder and national team coach Paul Bitok said they had secured the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani indoor arena for May 5 to 6 action.
“The action will be used as a build up for the clubs that are expected to participate in the next month’s African Clubs Championship in Tunisia. And I’m happy that teams that had booked their semi-finals slots are among the teams that will compete in the African bonanza.
"We have also introduced a package for the third placed teams. Only winners and runners-up in both categories were to be feted in the initial arrangement but we have changed our minds,” said Bitok, who is vying for the Deputy President seat in the upcoming KVF National elections on April 29.
Kenya Pipeline will play Kenya Prisons in one of the semi-finals, while KCB will tackle Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in another semi in the women’s category.
In the men’s version, Kenya Prisons will play Trailblazers while Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) take on Kenya Defence Forces.
The semi-finals will be played on May 5 while the final will be staged the following day.
Meanwhile, Pipeline and defending champions KCB are set to represent the country at African Clubs Championship set for May 12 to 22 in Tunisia.
The championship was initially set for May 13 to 26 but the changes were made as the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) wanted all the continental clubs championship for 2022/2023 season to be completed within the window of May 15 to 21.
The men’s event was set for May 9 to 22 but will now be played from May 8 to 21.
General Service Unit (GSU) and KPA will compete in the annual championship after they finished top two during the KVF National League play-offs last season.
