Youngsters Juliana Namutira of KCB and Loice Simiyu of Kenya Pipeline have been tipped to shine during the FIVB Challenger Cup slated for July 27-30 in Laval, France.
The duo is expected to make senior national team debuts after being included in the final list of the Malkia Strikers squad of 16 players travelling for a three-week residential camp in Morocco before departing to France for the FIVB Challenger Cup.
A hard-hitting Namutira, 22, nicknamed the ‘Bulldozer’ made the cut after giving an impressive show for the Bankers during the African Club Championships held in Tunisia last May.
Simiyu,19, an opposite player who features for local volleyball queens Kenya Pipeline is expected to team up with dependable Sharon Chepchumba who plays her trade in Greece for Paok Thessaloniki.
Kenya Pipeline’s Triza Atuka also makes a grand return to the national outfit after a three-year hiatus due to a nagging and career-threatening knee injury.
Despite the challenges that kept her out of the court for a while, Atuka was a key figure in the Kenya Pipeline team that won a silver medal in Tunisia at the club championships and went further to be named Best Blocker at the continental showpiece.She makes a comeback to Malkia Strikers after missing The Tokyo Olympics and African Championships that were held in Rwanda in 2021.
Evergreen and experienced Mercy Moim will captain the team and she will be deputized by Triza Atuka.
Coach Paul Bitok says it was a tough task to name the 16-member team due to top-notch competition in the team.
“I would like to congratulate the 16 players who made it to the 2nd phase of our training. It was not an easy task for the coaches to name the squad of 16 since the competition was very close between experienced and young players.
Having worked with you for the last 4 years I believe the team is more strong and with your hard work and determination we shall come back with the African title in Cameroon,” Bitok told People Sport.
Brazilian coaches, led by Luizomar De Moura, are already in Morocco waiting for the team’s arrival so as to begin high-intensity training.
Part of the Malkia Strikers squad left the country yesterday for Morocco and the rest is set for Thursday’s departure.
