Beach volleyball teams off to Accra for Qualifiers
Anticipation of featuring in the Commonwealth Games for the first time has reached fever pitch, as the national men and women’s beach volleyball teams, land in Accra Ghana, ahead of the African Qualifiers.
The teams were expected to leave the country at 5 am for Ghana to battle out for the sole ticket in each gender preserved for African teams to qualify for the 2022 Commonwealth Games scheduled for July 29, to August 8, 2022, in Birmingham, England.
“We’re ready, and the morale is sky-high,” national women’s beach volleyball team coach Salome ‘Sally’ Wanjala told People Sport.
“We have prepared well and what’s remaining is to deliver the Commonwealth Games ticket to Kenyans. Putting God first and good health, nothing will stop us from being top in Africa, and earning our first-ever appearance in the Games,” added coach Sally.
The African Qualifiers will kick off this Thursday, March 24, 2022, in Accra Ghana, and is scheduled to run to Tuesday, March 29, 2022, with the winners in each gender, securing their place in Birmingham.
Twelve African countries, including Kenya, hosts Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Zambia, Mauritius, Seychelles, Botswana, Mozambique, and Rwanda, are taking part. Rwanda is the African women’s beach volleyball reigning champion, while Sierra Leone, is the men’s defending champion.
Kenya has named a strong team of eight players, four ladies and four gentlemen. As expected, and following their stellar performances at the national beach volleyball homologated tours in Makueni and Mombasa, Olympians duo of Bracksides Khadambi and Gaudencia Makokha have made the cut, in the women’s richly talented squad.
The other duo includes mercurial pair of Veronica Adhiambo and Naomi Too, and coach Sally is confident of the team they have selected.
