Volleyball: Amaco pumps Sh9.3m into annual tourney

The overall trophy for the Launch of the 12th Edition AMACO Volleyball Tournament in Nairobi on Monday May 21, 2018. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

It is all systems go for this weekend’s 12th edition of the Amaco International Volleyball Tournament in Eldoret after organisers got a sponsorship boost of Sh9.3m from Amaco Insurance, in Nairobi, yesterday.

This is Sh2.7m more than last year's edition held at Eldoret Polytechnic.

However, despite the increase in sponsorship, winners of the tournament, which has attracted over 50 teams both locally and regionally, will share a paltry Sh600,000 in prize money.

Men’s champions General Service Unit will face local rivals Prisons Kenya, Ugandan trio of KAVC, Sky Volleyball Club and Espor, Tanzania’s Faru and Rwanda’s Rembo.

In the women’s category, Prisons Kenya, Kenya Commercial Bank and Rembo are expected to give champions Kenya Pipeline a run for their money.

“We are expecting more than 60 teams this year because of the increased sponsorship that we have witnessed today," said the tournament's founder, Paul Bitok.

"We are also introducing self-supporting categories and monetary awards for them."

“I am yet to meet with KVF officials and discuss on what we agreed with the sponsors, then we will see what we to offer the teams. But we need to give teams a better deal.” [Rodgers Eshitemi]