Commonwealth Games: Volleyball squads for qualifiers to be named tomorrow

Brackcides Khadambi in action during Kenya Volleyball Federation Beach Volleyball commission tournament held at Big tree Beach in Mombasa on February, 26, 2022. [Omondi Onyango, Standard]

National beach volleyball coaches will drop six players tomorrow before the teams jet out for the 2022 Commonwealth Games African qualifiers on Monday.

Four players from the men and women’s teams will make the final squad for the qualifiers in Accra, Ghana.

Sammy Mulinge, the men’s team manager, said they have agreed to name the travelling players tomorrow so that they can prepare for the Ghana trip in good time. “The morale is high after the Ministry of Sports paid all allowances to the players and technical officials in good time. We thank the government for their invaluable help,” said Mulinge.

The tactician added that all players have adapted to the Mombasa weather and are raring to go in Ghana.

“The training atmosphere in Mombasa is quite conducive and we are looking forward to impressive performance in Accra,” said Mulinge.

Twelve players (six men and six women) have been camping at The Big Tree Beach Hotel for the past eight days in preparation for the continental qualifiers scheduled for March 24-29.

The men’s team head coach Patrick Owino and his women’s counterpart Salome Wanjala have expressed confidence in their players.

Wanjala also said the girls have picked up well since they joined camp. Ibrahim Oduor was named the overall captain, with Naomi Too as his assistant.

The men’s team has Oduor, James Mwaniki, Jairus Jepkosgei, Wilfred Kimutai and Donald Mchete, while the women’s squad has Olympians Gaudencia Makokha of Kenya Pipeline, Brackcides Agala and Yvonne Wavinya-both from Kenya Prisons, Phosca Kasisi, Veronica Adhiambo and Naomi Too.

Meanwhile, volleyball action moves to Nyeri this weekend for the Nyaberi Cup.