Head coach Japheth Munala of the national women’s volleyball team, Malkia Strikers, emphasizes the need to avoid underestimating opponents while expressing confidence in winning the Zone V Volleyball Championship.
The team, ten-time African champions, arrived in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday for the championship, which also serves as the 2023 African Games qualifiers.
Munala acknowledges the challenge of facing teams eager to defeat Malkia Strikers but affirms the team’s readiness for the competition. Captain Mercy Moim recognizes the threat posed by the host team but remains optimistic about securing the championship and earning a spot in the African Games.
Despite players returning from Christmas break slightly overweight, Moim expresses confidence in the team’s preparedness. She acknowledges the efforts of the technical bench and emphasizes the players’ commitment to securing a victory in Cairo.
Munala has selected a final 14-member squad for the trip, including newcomers Pamela Adhiambo from Kenya Pipeline and Mercy Iminza from DCI.
The team will miss the presence of Sharon Chepchumba, the 2023 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Most Valuable Player, who is recovering from a knee injury. Veronica Adhiambo, another key player, is unavailable due to a lack of release from her Turkish club, Tarsus Belediyespor.
The championship will determine two teams from each gender to represent the region at the delayed African Games. The men’s side, coached by Gideon Tarus, aims to return to the African Games scene after a 13-year absence, with their last appearance in 2011 in Maputo, Mozambique, where they finished as runners-up.
