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Kenya volleyball team seeks ticket to Rio Olympics

Xinhua, February 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

Kenyan women volleyball team left the country on Wednesday for Yaounde, Cameroon, seeking for a slot for the Rio Olympics.

Seven countries are battling up for the single ticket to Rio led by defending champion Algeria, hosts Cameroon, Kenya, Botswana, Uganda, Egypt and Tunisia.

Head coach Japheth Munala sounded confident his team will weather the storm and clinch the ticket to the Olympics. Kenya last competed at the Olympics in Athens back in 2004 but lost all her pool matches to Brazil, Greece, Italy, Japan and South Korea.

They also competed at the Sydney Games in 2000. "We are sure of winning," he said before the team's departure from Nairobi.

"However, we will not look down upon the other six teams because everyone in Cameroon will have an equal chance to win the ticket. We lost to Algeria in 2008 and in 2012, but we are back and want to recapture that title."

Indeed Algeria has represented Africa in the last edition in Beijing 2008 and London 2012. But a resurgent Kenya has put its foot on the global map winning the FIVB World Grand Prix Level three competition beating Algeria in the process.

The current Kenyan team is a blend of youthful players who won the All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville and senior players who won the FIVB Group Three World Grand Prix.

Kenya Team: Jane Wacu, Joy Luseneka, Lydia Maiyo, Gaudencia Makokha, Mercy Moim (captain), Evelyne Makuto, Noel Murambi, Monica Biama, Violet Makuto, Joan Jelagat, Triza Atuka and Edith Wisa, Elizabeth Wanyama and Agrippina Kundu. Endit