Nairobi, Kenya’s suburb of Kasarani is hosting the Pool E (Zone V) tournament for the African First Round of qualification for the 2018 FIVB Women’s World Championships in Japan at the Safaricom Indoor Arena. Egypt, Rwanda, Uganda and hosts Kenya are playing in the tournament, which started on Friday July 28th and will conclude on Sunday July 30th. The top two teams in the tournament will advance to the Second Round, which also will be the Women’s African Nations Championship in October in Cameroon.
In the first match, Egypt (FIVB Rank of 40th, after last year’s Olympics) played Rwanda (FIVB Rank of 115th). Egypt won the first set 25-18, and Rwanda responded in the second set by taking it 25-21. Egypt then swept the 3rd set (25-23) and 4th sets (25-20) to win the match 3 sets to 1. Egypt will face Uganda today in their second match.
The hosts Kenya (FIVB Rank of 26th) faced their western neighbors Uganda (FIVB Rank of 55th) in the last match of the day. The Kenyan team is known as the Malkia (Queen in Swahili) Strikers, while the Ugandan team is nickname the Cranes, for the national bird, the grey crowned crane. The Kenyans got out to a quick lead in the first set and never let Uganda catch up winning 25-12. The second and third sets, followed the same pattern with 25-15 and 25-12 scores for the win by Kenya in straight sets. Rwanda will be the Malkia Spikers opponents in the last match of today.
Kenya’s coach Japeth Munala said after the match, “We can only pick from here going forward. The performance was awesome and the new players were impressive.” The new players he used were Emmaculate Chemutai, Leonida Kasaya and Cellestine Nyongesa. While his veterans were Janet Wanja, Brackcidise Agala, Triza Atuka, Violet Makuto, Noel Murambi, libero Agripina Kundu and captain Mercy Moim.
The Ugandan team traveled from Kampala to Nairobi by bus on a trip which took 25 hours, much longer than normal. The team had been stranded for 4 hours, when their bus was stopped by Kenyan National Transport and Safety Authority officials. Their bus driver was charged and arrested for speeding. A Ugandan official told the Nairobi News, “They (police officers) didn’t ask for bribes but seemed intent on frustrating us. Detaining our players that long without offering alternatives when we are traveling for a sporting assignment isn’t diplomatic. That fatigue caused us to perform below par against Kenya.”
Standings after Day 1
- Kenya 1 wins-0 losses, 3 points, 3 sets won-0 sets lost
- Egypt 1-0, 3, 3-1
- Rwanda 0-1, 0, 1-3
- Uganda 0-1, 0, 0-3
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