African Games: Kenya takes on Mozambique in semi-finals today

Kenya national beach volleyball team players Gaudencia Makokha (left) and Naomi Too. [Gideon Maundu, Standard]

Makokha and Too saw off Nigeria in quarter-finals as steeplechase duo opt-out of continental games.

Kenya’s women beach volleyball team of Gaudencia Makokha and Naomi Too at the African Games in Rabat, Morocco, gets down to semi-final action today against Mozambique.

The Kenyans stormed the last four after edging out battling Nigeria 2-1 (22-20, 19-21, 17-15) to inch towards the medal bracket.

Coached by Patrick Owino, Kenya will be looking to dismiss Mozambique as continental rivals Egypt take on Mauritius.

The North Africans outclassed Rwanda in two straight sets of 21-8 and 21-14. Mauritius saw off Namibia 2-1 (21-11, 12-21, 15-11).

Kenya will be buoyed by their bronze medal at the inaugural Africa Beach Games held in Sal, Cape Verde in June and hope to improve on their third-place showing at the 2011 African Games held in  Maputo, Mozambique when Margaret Indilara and Dorcas Ndasaba. Kenya failed to get into the medal bracket at the 2015 editions of Games Brazzaville, Congo.

Elsewhere, world steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech and former World champion Hyvin Kiyeng have opted out of African Games in Morocco.

800m specialist Emmanuel Korir, has also opted out of the team where he was to compete in 400m. Korir has now been replaced by 400m champion Alphas Kishoyian who had earlier dropped out of the team alongside ten other athletes. 

Kishoyian, a former national champion will now partner with Joseph Poghisio and US-based Raymond Bett.

The women’s 3,000m steeplechase squad will now have only Mercy Wanjiku. Athletics Kenya Senior Deputy President Paul Mutwii, who is also the Team Kenya’s general manager had said they would replace Chepkoech and Kiyeng.