National volleyball men’s team received a major boost after Turkey-based left attacker Micheal Chemos joined the team yesterday ahead of the World Championship Zonal ‘H’ second round Qualifiers set for next week in Kigali, Rwanda.
Micheal Chemos
The national team boast of 3 professional players whose expertise will come in handy as they seek to book the two slots to the final qualifiers early next year.
James Ontere, who plays professional in Cyprus has already linked up with the team while Phillip Maiyo who plies his trade in Turkey and will join Gideon Chenje’s side in Rwanda.
Commenting on the development, the team captain Ibrahim Oduori acknowledged that the arrival of the three players will no doubt lift the team’s performance and spirit to another level. Kenya are up against the hosts Rwanda, Egypt, Uganda, Burundi and Kenya.
“The three players brings with them exposure and experience that will be key to propelling the national team to success in the 7-day event,” said coach Chenje.
During the first qualifiers staged in Kampala, the home side finished top of the table ahead of hosts Uganda while Burundi came in third with Tanzania last. The national team lock horns with Egypt in their first match of the event on November 26 before squaring it out with Rwanda a day later. Chenje said the players are ready for the prestigious event.
“Most of these players have participated in the just ended Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) national league finals which in some way acts as a build-up. But I must say morale in training is overwhelming,” said Chenje, who also doubles up as Prisons’ Club men’s team coach.
He said he believes Maiyo will still gel with the team despite linking with them late in Rwanda. “Every time Maiyo is in the country, he trains with General Service Unit and I believe being a professional player, he will not take long to gel with the other players,”
“We will leave for Rwanda on Saturday and since the event starts on Monday, Maiyo has enough time to play catch-up.”
Chenje led the national team to third place during the 2011 All Africa Games in Mozambique. He said their main goal is to finish among the top two teams in the Rwanda event. The coach admitted said they are yet to play Egypt and admitted that the Pharaohs will no doubt pose a tall order.
By AGNES MAKHANDIA, The Star