KHU names Blades final squad for Women’s African Olympic Qualifiers

The national women’s hockey team, the Blades, is expected to hit the run away on Tuesday night for South Africa ahead of the 2023 Women’s African Olympic Qualifiers.

The seven-nation qualifier tournament is scheduled to run between October 29 and November 5 in Pretoria.

Kenya is placed in Pool B of the qualifiers and will launch the bid to secure a ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics with a clash against Zambia before taking on Ghana in the second group stage game.

Meshack Senge’s girls will play Namibia in the final group stage duel. The best two teams in each group will sail to the semifinals.

Host South Africa, who are the highly-ranked team in the qualifiers headline pool A that has Zimbabwe and Nigeria as well.

Senge, named the travelling squad on Tuesday morning, which consists of budding and experienced players.

A closer look at the team that unsuccessfully hunted for a ticket to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics qualifiers held in Stellenbosch in Cape Town shows that a number of senior players retained places in the team.

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After missing the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Blazers goalkeeper Cynthia Akinyi will be glad to be back in the team for the qualifiers, in which the winner will run away with the available ticket.

She will jostle for the first team roles with the fast-rising Milicent Adhiambo.

Akinyi, was joined by her teammates; Lucy Wangeci, Flavian Mutiva, Maureen Okumu Caroline Guchu and Tracy Karanja will all board the plane to South Africa.

Budding forward Eleanor Chebet, who is also attached to the record Kenyan champions, also made it to the final team.

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Out of the 18 players named, Guchu has the highest number of caps, as the experienced midfielder has played for the national team for more than a decade.

Strathmore University Scorpions forward Grace Bwire who was the Women’s Premier League top scorer last season, is among the five forwards named in the team.

Bwire, an ex-Blazers forward, won the Golden Stick last season thanks to the eight goals she scored.

Travelling Team

Goalkeepers

Cynthia Akinyi, Milicent Adhiambo

Defenders

Mourine Owiti, Vivian Onyango, Lucy Wangeci,Diana Awino, Flavian Mutiva,Lyne Tamunai

Midfielders

Tracy Karanja, Caroline Guchu, Pauline Ochieng, Naom Kemunto, Mourine Achieng

Forwards

Eleanor Chebet, Grace Bwire,Alice Owiti,Aurelia Opondo, Maureen Okumu