NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 26- The Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) Women’s under-23 championship that was set to serve off from October 18-28 in Nairobi has been moved forward by a week to October 23-27.
The venue still remains the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani Indoor Arena.
CAVB did not clarify further the reason for the late change of dates though the low number of teams which have confirmed participation might have triggered the alteration.
So far, only six countries, hosts Kenya, Senegal, Botswana, Tunisia, Egypt and Rwanda have confirmed participation, forcing the continental volleyball body to chop off six days off the championship which was initially set to run for 10 days.
But this abrupt change may have come as a blessing for Kenya’s head coach Catherine Mabwi who may want to use the last leg of the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) league to be hosted in Eldama Ravine from October 14 to test her players before the championship.
Initially, Mabwi whose training schedule at the Kasarani Stadium was interrupted by the Safari Sevens rugby tournament last weekend had made it clear that the team would not break camp to represent their respective clubs in Ravine.
But she might have a change of mind to give the players some game time in their clubs to build up their match fitness ahead of the tournament.
The low number of teams which have confirmed participation may deny Africa an additional slot at the world championships after CAVB reduced the number of qualifying teams to one.
In the previous editions, the two finalists would have earned direct tickets to the global championship if more than eight teams registered for the event, but with only six countries participating, the same might not happen.
Kenya is looking for her second consecutive appearance at the world stage after taking part in the last event in Mexico in 2014.