National under 23 captain Shyrine Jepkemboi and setter Veronica Tanui survived the axe as coach Japheth Munala trimmed the senior women’s squad to 16 players as preparations for next month’s African Nation Cup-cum-World Championship qualifier in Yaounde, Cameroon, intensify.
The two were part of the U-23 team which recently participated in the FIVB World Championship in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Jepkemboi, a middle-blocker will now jostle for three slots up for grabs alongside regulars and well exposed former national team captain Brackcidise Agala, KVF most valuable player Triza Atuka and Africa best blocker Edith Wisa.
On the other hand, Tanui will muscle for the setting position against Jane Wacu, Janet Wanja and Joy Luseneka.
The team which is currently training at the Safaricom Indoor Arena, Kasarani are keen to snatch one of the two slots up for grabs in Africa ahead of 2018 World Championships to be staged in Japan.
Kenya are the defending champions of the biennial event having won the last edition held in Nairobi and coach Munala said they will not be complacent.
“The training is going on well. Of course there is that pressure that comes with being the champions but what we know is that we will not be over confident going into the event,” said Munala, who double up as the league champions Kenya Pipeline coach. “All the departments are coming together for good and with 10 days at our disposal, we can only get better.”
The team is schedule to depart for host nation on October 5 ahead of the championship that serves off on 7 to 14.
Other players in the team include Evelyne Makuto, Mercy Moim,Edith Wisa, Brackcidise Agala, Joy Luseneka, Emmaculate Chemtai, Jane Wacu, Triza Atuka,Janet Wanja, Leonida Kasaya, Aggripina Kundu, Celestine Nyongesa, Violet Makuto, Veronica Tanui and Noel Murambi.
The male version of the same event is for October 22-29 in Cairo ,Egypt where the top three will represent Africa in joint organisers Bulgaria and Italy.