Malkia Strikers’ stab at history needs government assistance

On Tuesday night, the national women’s beach volleyball team left the country for Rome, Italy where they will participate in the World Championships from June 10-19. 

It will be a perfect opportunity for the pair of Brackcides Agala and Gaudencia Makokha to gauge themselves against top beach volleyball players and improve their FIVB ranking.

This litmus test comes just less than a month to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games set for July 28 to August 8 which the beach volleyball team has qualified for and are certainly huge medal prospects. 

While the beach volleyball team will be in their second appearance at the World Championships, the indoor team will be making their seventh appearance at FIVB’s prime competition from September 23 to October 15 in Netherlands and Poland. 

And preparations have now begun in earnest after head coach Luizomar de Moura Tuesday named a provisional squad of 20 that will train in Sao Paulo, Brazil for two months ahead of the global competition. 

Thumbs up to the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), the African body CAVB and Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) for organising this training camp that will be hosted at the high-end facilities of Osasco Volleyball Club. 

Luizomar has been bold in his selection naming a number of rookies in his squad perhaps with an eye on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

And with friendly matches incorporated in the team’s preparations for the World Championships, there is all reason for Kenyan volleyball fans to be optimistic.

Malkia Strikers impressed at the Tokyo Olympic Games after Phase 1 of the Volleyball Empowerment Programme that lasted only six weeks and the world will be eager to see how the girls will perform in Netherlands and Poland. 

With FIVB handling all expenses for the Brazil training camp, it’s imperative that government shows appreciation by supporting travel logistics and perhaps even extend a motivation perk to the girls.

Kenya has never made it to the second round at the World Championships and the team has a realistic chance of making history in this year’s edition. 

Malkia Strikers are in Pool ‘A’ of the World Championships alongside hosts Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Puerto Rico and Cameroon. The top four teams in the pool will qualify for the second round. Cameroon and Puerto Rico look beatable and that would mean Kenya could finish in the top four places in the group and make it to the second round. 

A reward of Sh500,000 per head for qualifying for the second round could do the girls a whole lot of good and make their historic feat all the more memorable.

That remains a dream for now but first things first, let’s ensure the girls catch the flight to Sao Paulo in good time. Over to you CS Amina Mohamed.