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Champs Kenya off to Mexico for volleyball World Grand Prix

Xinhua, June 22, 2015 Adjust font size:

Two days after winning the Africa Nation Championships, Kenya team is heading to Monterrey, Mexico for the volleyball World Grand Prix for preliminary round matches.

Evan Wasike, Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) Secretary General, confirmed Monday that the team will leave the country on Tuesday for Mexico.

"The players are not breaking camp. They leave tomorrow for the World Grand Prix," said Wasike in Nairobi. "Kenya will start with Mexico (26-28 June), then Algeria (July 2-5 ). If the Kenya team qualifies after Mexico and Algeria, they will then go to Australia (July 7-10)."

Kenya beat Algeria 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-20) to claim their ninth Africa volleyball crown. Both finalists Kenya and Algeria already secured the two African tickets for 2015 FIVB World Cup to be staged in Japan Aug. 22 to Sept. 6.

However, Kenya coach David Lung'aho will have to test the waters ahead of the World Cup when his team tours Mexico and Algeria for the World Grand Prix.

Kenya team has only three foreign-based players, captain Brackcides Agala and setter Jane Wacu, both with French side, Chamalieres, and left attacker Mercy Moim, who plays in Finland.

The 23rd edition of the FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix, which is the International Volleyball Federation's (FIVB) premier annual competition for women's national teams, will run from June 26 to August 1.

The 2014 edition of the World Grand Prix, which featured 28 participating countries for the first time, saw Brazil triumph for a record 10th time after winning against Japan in the final match of the competition. Russia claimed bronze, their first World Grand Prix medal for five years.

The FIVB World Grand Prix has grown spectacularly since its first edition in 1993, when it featured just eight teams. The increase in the number of participating teams brings with it an increased level of competition and has also helped to spread the World Grand Prix to new territories around the world. Endi