The more, the merrier as coach Mulinge names four new players

Kenya Junior Malkia Strikers Lydia Emokol (left) and Betty Sifuna block Nigeria's Elizabeth Ilesani's shot during Women's U20 Africa Nations Volleyball Championship at the Kasarani Gymnasium, Nigerians won in the 4th set 23-25 on Wednesday August 29, 2018. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Four players, who have shown great improvement, received their first call-ups to the national men and women’s beach volleyball teams preparing for the second round of the Africa Olympic Games qualifiers.

Wilfred Kimutai of Strathmore University and GSU’s Naftali Chuma got the nod to the men’s team that will be based at Strathmore University for non-residential camp before moving to Mombasa for their residential training.

In the women’s team, Mildred Cherop of KCB and Kenya Pipeline Company’s (KPC) Betty Sifuna have seen their splendid performance earn them a place among the best.

Gambia, who won the bid to host the Group C qualifiers in Banjul from March 12-16, will battle Mauritius, Kenya, Botswana and South Sudan for the two available spots from the group.

Kenyan teams have been pooled in tough groups in both men and women qualifiers.

The Kenyan teams finished second in men’s championships in Uganda while the women’s team were runner-up at the first round of the subzonal phase held in Tanzania.

Rwandan teams were the overall winners in both Uganda and Tanzania events. Phase two of the qualifiers are scheduled for February 15 and March 15.

The 20 teams have been divided into four pools of five, where the top two from each pool will qualify to the finals among the best eight teams in the continent.

The Kenyan girls are in Pool C alongside Nigeria, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia.

Head coach Sammy Mulinge Mulinge, however, said he is optimistic that early preparations will be added.

“All the teams have set their eyes to the Olympic Games and this can be achieved through proper preparations,” said Mulinge.

He guided both men and women teams to qualify for the second round of the Continental Cup, which is considered as the qualifying process for 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Mulinge said Kenya has beaten their opponents Nigeria at last year’s semi-finals of Africa Games in Morocco and are looking forward to repeat the same performance when the two teams meet in the second round of the tournament that is expected to be tough.