Kenya targeting second round in beach volleyball in Birmingham

Kenya has been pooled in pool A alongside reigning champions Canada, New Zealand, and Ghana in the women’s beach volleyball at the Commonwealth Games and beach commission member Sammy Mulinge believes the squad can make it to the second round.

The beach tournament is set to take place at Smithfield, in Birmingham city center from 30 July to 7 August. The Kenyan team is expected to the country for Birmingham before the games commence on 28 July.

The squad composed of experienced Naomi Too and Gaudencia Makokha, who won silver medal at the 2019 Africa Games in Rabat, Morocco, as well as Phosca Kasisi and Brackcides Agala, have been camping in Mombasa preparing for the Games.

Mulinge says the exposure gained by the players in the recent past, as Makokha and Agala teamed up to compete in the Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 World Championships in Rome, Italy, will go a long way in helping the team achieve their goal.

“Preparations are in top gear and the players have really improved. They are well aware of the task ahead and we have joined hands to make sure that they hit the target.

First, we are looking to win at least a match then strive to pick some points in the other two matches that could enable us qualify for the second round,” offered Mulinge.

Under the tutelage of Salome Wanjala who guided the pair of Too and Veronica Adhiambo to a third-place finish at the African Commonwealth Games qualifiers, the team is awaiting confirmation from the National Olympics Committee (NOC-K) on whether the two pairs travel to Birmingham.

“The coach will name the final team probably in a week’s time. However, we are hopeful that the committee will grant our request for the two pairs to travel so the participating pair can have sparing partners in Birmingham. We await their confirmation,” added Mulinge.

The host nation has been drawn against home nation rivals, Scotland. They will be joined is this pool by the bronze medal winners from Gold Coast 2018, Vanuatu, and Commonwealth Games debutants, the Solomon Islands.

Australia, who took home silver last time around, will be facing Cyprus, Trinidad and Tobago and Sri Lanka in pool B.

In the men’s competition, Team England will take on Gold Coast 2018 bronze medalists New Zealand, Cyprus and Tuvalu in pool C. 

The reigning champions Australia have been drawn in pool B and they will face three teams all making their Commonwealth Games debuts in Rwanda, South Africa and the Maldives.

Canada, who secured the silver medal on the Gold Coast four years ago, will be facing teams from Gambia, St Kitts & Nevis and Sri Lanka in pool A.