Too in as beach volleyball teams begin preps

All Africa Games (2019) beach volleyball silver medalist Naomi Too has made the provisional team that begins preparation on Friday, June 4, in Mombasa for the repeat second and final round Olympics qualifiers set for June 21 to 27. 

Too, a long-time partner to Gaudencia Makokha in beach volleyball picked a nasty knee injury on November 22, 2019 during the national league play-offs at Kasarani. The injury forced her out of the first round qualifiers where Kenya faced off with Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda in pool six whose matches were played between January 10 and 12, 2020 in Dar-es-Salaam. 

Kenya was set to face off with teams from DR Congo, Cape Verde, Zambia and hosts Nigeria in pool C of the second round. The team, however, failed to honour the matches in Abuja, Nigeria due to Covid-19 related travel restrictions that had been imposed by the government. Only Zambia travelled for the qualifier where they played against the hosts on March 7, 2020. 

Makokha shifts focus to beach continental cup with Olympics slot in sight

“She (Too) has been out of action for some time as she nursed her injury the went6 on a maternity break. However, she has been training with her team, Kenya Pipeline, and has been cleared to play. Her experience will be a big boost to the team if she passes the physical fitness test for the programme we have. We will make a decision on her after a few days of training,” offered the women’s team head coach Sammy Mulinge.  

The ladies’ team also has Makokha, league Most Valuable Player (MVP) Praxedes Agala, Yvonne Wavinya, Phoscah Kasisi, Maureen Wekesa and Veronica Adhiambo under coach Mulinge. The men’s team has experienced Ibrahim Oduor, James Mwaniki, Brian Melly, Enock Mogeni, Wilfred Kimutai, Cornelius Lagat and Donald Mchete under coach Patrick Owino.

With only three weeks to the competition, coach Mulinge says they will be forced to have a crash program so as to be ready for action. He is, however, happy that all the players are in a good place physically having played in the Africa Club championships and last week’s Nyerere Cup. Oduor and Mwaniki were the men’s category winners while the duo of Gladys Munge and Kasisi won the women’s category.

“We have only 15 days or so to prepare and our emphasis will be on tactical training. We will use the first few days of camp to adapt to the weather and work on movement on sand and ball handling as some of these players have not played beach volleyball since February last year.” 

“The indoor club championship in Tunisia helped us have our players in good shape. Only two, Kasisi and Oduor were not in action in Tunisia but they can adapt fast. Oduori has been training with his club, Kenya Prisons, all through as their trip to Tunisia was cancelled in the last minute. Kasisi’s performance in Tanzania goes to show that she is in good shape,” Mulinge explained adding that what is left is work on their mental preparedness and a bit of polishing before heading out for the qualifiers.