Sharon Chepchumba believes the FIVB World Championships will offer her another opportunity to furnish her cabinet with more trophies after she was named the Sports Personality for the Month of May by the Sports Journalists Association of Kenya on Monday at Nyayo Stadium.
The 19th edition of the 24-team quadrennial show will be co-hosted by the Netherlands and Poland from September 23 to October 15. Malkia Strikers are in Pool 'A' alongside African rivals Cameroon, Italy, Puerto Rico, Belgium and hosts the Netherlands.
Paul Bitok's charges are targeting the second round.
Chepchumba, the Kenya Commercial Bank opposite attacker, was named the Most Valuable Player after guiding the Ruaraka-based bankers to the Africa Women's Club Championship title in Tunisia last month.
An elated Chepchumba said: "The award is a big encouragement for me. It's because of my teammates that I am celebrating here today. I won't stop here. I have the World Championships to look forward to as I aim for more individual and team trophies."
For her effort, she was awarded with an LG fridge and a trophy engraved with her name.
Chepchumba was also the best attacker at the 2021 African Nations Championships in Rwanda. She was also the top-ranked attacker at the African Olympic qualifiers in Cameroon in 2020.
In winning the award organised by Kenyan scribes, Chepchumba beat competition from two Deaflympics athletes to become the first volleyball athlete to bag the award after almost six years.
"Despite the competition in Tunisia, we proved KCB have evolved. We rose through the Carthage adversity and against familiar foes in Kenya Prisons and Pipeline in quarters and semis respectively," she said.
"It has not been an easy journey at KCB. The management catered for our needs for the last three years and it was time to repay the faith they showed to us by bringing home the continental trophy."
LG Electronics corporate marketing manager Maureen Kemunto said: "This award allows us as LG electronics to strengthen sports cohesion among sports champions. Chepchumba named MVP at club champions made it impossible for us to ignore her efforts and she deserves recognition."
Marathoner Evans Kibet was April's best after the Kapsabet-based athlete won his first-ever marathon major title at the prestigious Boston Marathon, clocking 2:06:51 seconds. World marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich carried the March award.
