Volleyball: Kenya to host U20 women’s continental tourney as junior teams depart to Uganda
Volleyball and Handball
By
Rodgers Eshitemi
| May 22, 2018
Former national men’s team captain attracts interest from top European teams.
Kenyan international Phillip Maiyo says he has not retired from active volleyball and is ready for national team’s duties, again.
The 36-year-old left attacker, who was recently elected Kenya Volleyball Federation North Rift Branch Second Vice-chairman in the March elections, last featured for the national team in the All Africa Games qualifiers in Rwanda, in 2015.
But the former national team captain, whose contract with Qatar Volleyball League champions Al-Rayyan expired in this month, insists he still has a lot to offer to the national team.
“Despite being a branch official, I am still very active in the sport and I have not retired. In fact, come and confirm it during this weekend’s Amaco tournament. I will be on the court,” Maiyo told The Standard Sports on the sidelines of yesterday’s launch of the 12th edition of the Amaco International Volleyball Tournament at a Nairobi hotel.
“I am available for the national team’s call ups. Let the young players prepare well because given chance, I will give them a run for their money and get back my position in the team.”
Though the opposite spiker has attracted interests from top Italian side Verona and Ziraat Bank of Turkey, he is willing to extend his stay in Qatar.
“Although we are now off-season, I am still negotiating with my previous club for a possible contract renewal. But I have also received a number of offers from different clubs in Europe (Verona and Ziraat Bank). I am yet to make the final decision on where I will be playing in the coming few months, but it will all depend with the offers on the table.”
Meanwhile, Kenya has been granted rights to host this year’s U20 women’s Africa Nation Championships in August at the Kasarani Gymnasium.
However, the Kenya Volleyball Federation has urged the African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB) to reschedule the tournament from August 24-31 to August 17-26.
“We have been given the permission to host the tournament but we have requested CAVB to consider changing the dates. We have a busy national teams’ schedule and are calling on sponsors to come on board and help us stage a successful event,” said KVF President Waithaka Kioni.
Elsewhere, the Kenya under-18 women and men national teams left last night for Uganda ahead of the Zonal 5 African volleyball Confederation qualifiers that serves off tomorrow.