“You deserve it,” Malkia coach Bitok tells Chumba after signing for Greek side Aris Thessaloniki - Capital Sports
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Malkia Strikers' Sharon Chepchumba. PHOTO/FIVB

Volleyball

“You deserve it,” Malkia coach Bitok tells Chumba after signing for Greek side Aris Thessaloniki

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 4 – Malkia Strikers head coach Paul Bitok has described the signing of national team player Sharon Chepchumba by Greek side Aris Thessaloniki as long overdue.

The immediate former Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) player on Monday penned a professional deal with the 1996 winners of the Greek Volleyball League, having attracted the attention of top clubs around the world for a while now.

“After being with you since 2018, I would like to congratulate you for being selected or signing with Aris Thessaloniki club of Greece. The process has been tough since you started playing volleyball with your high school coach as well as other coaches who helped you in one way or another. I’m proud of you and I believe it’s just the start of your career,” Bitok, who was the first Kenyan volleyballer to sign for a foreign team, said.

Chumba – as she is popularly known – was one of Kenya’s star players at the World Volleyball Championship in the Netherlands where they exited the group stage after one win against African rivals Cameroon.

Malkia narrowly lost 3-1 to Puerto Rico in sets of 15-25, 25-19, 18-25 and 25-29 in a crunch Pool A fixture on Saturday to miss out on a historic first-ever appearance in the second round of the global showpiece.

Kenya’s Sharon Chepchumba in action against Cameroon during their match at the World Championships . PHOTO/COURTESY

Chumba contributed 10 points to Kenya’s attack in that match – nine less than Veronicah Adhiambo who topped the scoring charts with 19.

Bitok, who has also handled top Rwandese side APR, expressed optimism that more players who did duty for the country at the tournament, will follow in the footsteps of their teammate by signing for the top sides on the globe.

“You (Chepchumba) have shown that you can take Kenya to the next level. I hope you will inspire the young generation to join you in the near future. We have more invitations for Malkia Strikers’ players to turn professional, and I encourage them to take it because it’s the only way we can change Kenyan volleyball in future,” he said.

The seasoned tactician is further hopeful that volleyball will continue to soar higher even as different stakeholders work to nurture promising, young talents.

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“I am happy with the young generation of players who joined Malkia team and, in a few years, managed to get to the top. We thank school coaches, club coaches and national coaches who worked hard to identify and train them with correct techniques. We also thank KCB for releasing Chumba to enable her realize her dream as a professional player,” Bitok said.

The gaffer, who began his coaching career in 2005 with KCB, is expected to contest for the vice-presidency of the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) at the national elections set for later this month.

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