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U-20 volleyball team out to claim continental honours

February 25th, 2015 1 min read

The dreaded North African opposition stands between the national junior volleyball team and a berth at the World Championship.

The U-20 ladies who are under the tutelage handled by coaches Sylvester Kioko and Catherine Mabwi are expected to depart for Cairo this week to compete at the Africa championship, a biennial competition that will determine which two countries represent the continent at the World Championship later this year.
The Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) has in the meantime forwarded English coach Chris Grant to assist in fine tuning the team ahead of this assignment.
Hosts Egypt and Algeria are the only other nations besides Kenya who have confirmed participation at the competition.
“Facing the North Africans at their backyard is never easy, but again this is an experienced squad that finished second at the youth Africa games in Botswana last year. With this background, I believe we have as good as chance as the two sides of progressing (to the World Championship),” Mabwi told Nairobi News.
EXPERIENCED DUO
Meanwhile, KVF is working round the clock to ensure a majority of the players obtain passports in time Wednesday’s departure.
“Some of the girls are awaiting their identification cards and passports, we are hopeful the immigration department will fast track the production to enable us apply for Visa in time,” KVF Chairman Waithaka Kioni said.
Experienced duo of Yvonne Wavinya and Ann Lowem who played an integral role in Kwanthanze High School’s heroics at the national and East Africa Secondary School games over the past two years, are the main players in the travelling party.
Squad: Lilian Lelei, Faith Imudia, Veronica Tanui, Maurine Okiri, Maurine Wekesa, Celestine Nyongesa, Yvone Wavinya,Sara Were, Ann Lowem, Carolyn Sirengo, Shyrine Jepkemboi, Melvin Wabwire,
Technical bench: Sylvester Kioko (Coach), Catherin Mabwi (assistant coach cum team manager).