NAIROBI, Kenya, October 24- The national women’s volleyball team heads to Cairo on Thursday to continue their build-up for the forthcoming FIVB World Cup.
On Monday, the team embarked on the last leg of domestic preparations with a series of friendly match-ups the first which saw them field against Nairobi Water in the afternoon.
Head coach, Paul Bitok, who was recalled to the side from Rwanda assessed that the team was in fine health with another round of pre-tournament preparations in Japan to follow their Egypt outing.
“The team is in good form. We hope to finish our training here on Wednesday and we will then stay in Egypt until November 1 when we shall leave for Japan,” Bitok told Capital Sport on Monday.
“I’m pleased to be back to the team and doing duty for the country since I’m still under contract with Rwanda and to be called by Kenya Volleyball Federation means I’m still recognised here and I’m proud to represent my country,” he added.
The team will take on former African champions, Kenya Pipeline on Tuesday before facing reigning domestic and continental club titleholders, Kenya Prisons on Wednesday.
In Cairo, they are scheduled to face the host national team whom they beat for Africa’s ticket to this year’s World Cup ticket besides the country’s club sides, Al Ahly, Petro and El Sham.
Once in Japan, the team will play a build-up fixture with Tajisawa before their opener against Germany in Nagano on November 4 in Pool B.
His assistant, David Lungaho, who led the team to third place at the All Africa Games in Maputo expressed, “This is a team for the future. We want them to start gaining experience so as to gain confidence before the real matches in Japan.”
Kenya are yet to win a match at the World Cup and the technical bench is determined to erase the statistic in their latest foray in the gathering of the best 12 nations that will act as a London Olympics qualifier.
– By Gloria Kendi
