Men's and women’s beach volleyball continental at JKIA/ HANDOUTTeam Kenya disappointed at the CAVB continental championships in Morocco, all four pairs bowing out early. The men’s teams exited in the round of 24, while the women failed to go past the round of 16.
The Moroccan contest is a qualifier for the FIVB World Championships scheduled for November 14–23 in Adelaide, Australia.
Okoth said lack of structures is Kenya's biggest undoing, but believes starting a parallel beach volleyball league to the KVF national league will help teams be competitive at the international stage.
While wishing Mercy Iminza, Veronica Adhiambo and Sharleen Maywa well as they join Malkia Strikers for World Championship preparations in Thailand, Okoth said the team picked valuable lessons from their Moroccan counterparts that they intend to share with the Federation.
“Our teams played their best,” Okoth said on arrival at JKIA on Tuesday. “The only challenge they encountered was the short preparation period. The depth of the sand in Morocco is also much deeper compared to where they trained at Strathmore University grounds in Nairobi. The hot weather was also a major factor, unlike the cold afternoons we are used to back home.”
“Most countries have full-time beach volleyball training. Our players are mainly picked from indoor volleyball. We need to change that,” said Okoth, who manages Nairobi Prisons' men's and women’s teams.
Olympian Gaudencia Makokha said it's time the federation and the Ministry of Sports invested more in the discipline.
“That’s the only way we can get back to our winning ways,” she said.
Men’s captain Brian Melly echoed the sentiments. “The competition was tough. We need to step up,” he said.
Federation president Charles Nyaberi admitted the results were disappointing but not discouraging.
“This is the same group that has qualified for the Olympics and the World Championships before. It’s time to reflect, reorganise and prepare better for upcoming events like the Kenya Cup,” he said.
