Malkia Strikers departed for Cairo yesterday at dawn with one mission—to qualify for the African Games where they will put the title, they’ve now won back-to-back on the line.
But no sooner had their plane taken off, than they soon realized they had already qualified after it emerged that only Kenya and Egypt had confirmed participation in the Zone Five qualifiers. The top two teams in the zonal qualifiers will book a ticket to Accra, Ghana for the African Games scheduled for March 8 to 23.
It was good riddance anyway because it’s a bit disrespectful to subject a team of the stature of Malkia Strikers to zonal qualifiers. The mere fact that they are defending champions and have emerged victorious for two consecutive editions (2015 and 2019) should have compelled Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) to grant Kenya a direct ticket.
But everything happens for a reason. Therefore, Kenya will play one match in Cairo against an Egyptian side they last faced in Yaounde last year in the final of the African Nations Championship. Malkia Strikers emerged on the right end of a 3-0 result to win a record-extending 10th African title.
The zonal qualifiers will be their first competition since the successful trip to Yaounde and with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games just five months away, it’s safe to say the journey to the French capital will begin in earnest in Cairo. It will be a good opportunity for Coach Japheth Munala to gauge the new faces in his team ahead of key assignments like the FIVB Volleyball Challenger Cup in July and Paris Olympics due August.
Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) opposite Mercy Iminza has been knocking on the national team door for two years now and she finally has a chance to prove her mettle in Cairo. What she lacks in agility, she makes up for in solid blocks and a towering reach in attack. Her inclusion in the Cairo-bound team comes on the back of a convincing performance for her club in last season’s play-offs and it remains to be seen whether she can replicate that form at the national team. Given her height, she will certainly be a good addition to beef up defence on the net in global competitions and support Sharon Chepchumba who is currently out injured.
But in Loice Simiyu she has a fierce competitor who brings an exciting skillset to the table. Her power in attack brings back memories of the explosive Doris Palang’a (RIP) who was a joy to watch in her prime. Nicknamed Bouncer, the young Simiyu is not as new as Iminza to the team which gives her a head start of sorts. She made her national team debut at last year’s African Nations Championship in Yaounde and was impressive in attack, reception and defence. Simiyu’s versatility also makes her a valuable addition to this team and she is well aware that another convincing display in Cairo will take her closer to the final squad for Paris as Chpechumba’s protégé.
If there is a player who will remember this trip to Cairo for ages, it’s Pamela Adhiambo. She has matured over the years at Kenya Pipeline and is now ripe for national team duty. Although not the best receiver in the team, she is almost flawless in attack and Munala knows how to tweak his lineup to accommodate her. She was in the provisional squad for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics but didn't make it to the final squad.
However, four years later, she is among top contenders for the four slots reserved for outside hitters in the Paris 2024 team. A solid performance in Cairo will help her state her case but she has to battle with Juliana Namutira who enjoyed a breakout campaign last year with KCB which culminated in her first league title. Both players have a jump that long jump athletes dream of and it remains to be seen how the technical bench will combine their abilities to serve the national team for long given that age is still on their side.
Initially a first team player at the FIVB 2022 World Championships, middle blocker Lorine Chebet has spiraled down the pecking order in recent times. The performance of Trizah Atuka in Yaounde last year should have served as a wake-up call for Chebet that it’s not business as usual. Given the limited slots (12) in the Olympics roster, Chebet and fast-rising Belinda Barasa will have to grab any opportunity to feature in the first six and show what they can offer.
If these youngsters needed encouragement it’s available in plenty. They need to look no further than the second string squad that delivered the African Games title in 2015 against all odds under the stewardship of Coach Paul Gitau. Prodigies like Edith Wisa, Leonida Kasaya and Violet Makuto all went ahead to become key players for Malkia Strikers following their gold medal performance.
The 2015 African Games was their breakthrough to the 'A' team that was star-studded with the likes of Ruth Jepng’etich, Brackcides Agala, Evelyn Makuto and Esther Wangeci enjoying the form of their lives.
Meanwhile, the men’s team, Wafalme Stars, also have a golden chance to return to the African Games after 13 years absence. With only Kenya, Egypt and Burundi participating in the zonal qualifiers, Gideon Tarus and his boys have only one job to do in Cairo. Beat Burundi and punch the ticket to Accra, Ghana come March. The historic 3-2 triumph over Egypt in the 2021 African Nations Championship is still fresh in the minds of players like captain Brian Melly and what a statement of intent it will be if they produce a carbon copy in Cairo.
