Kenya Pipeline prodigy wins accolade at continental event
Kenya Pipeline attacker Sharon-Kiprono (left) in action against Petroliers during their third-place play off match during the Africa club volleyball Championship at the Ahly Sports Hall in Cairo, Egypt on March 25, 2019. PHOTO | CAVB |
What you need to know:
- In the other individual awards, Ahly's Aya Abdelmaksoud, Farida Elaslany, and Shorouk Mahmoud were awarded the tournament's Most Valuable Player, best blocker and best setter respectively.
- Petroliers Salma Hammouche received the best libero gong, as Carthage duo Fatma Ktari and Vorona Yulia walked home with the best receiver and best server award.
Fresh from dominating at the just concluded women's Africa club volleyball championship in Egypt, rookie Kenya Pipeline attacker Sharon 'The Steel' Kiprono says she's shifting her focus to not only winning her first league title with Oilers, but also earning a call up to the senior national team.
The 20-year old was - against all odds - named the best attacker on the continent at the annual championship, which attracted participation from 17 clubs from as far and wide as Algeria, Tunisia, Cote d'Ivoire, Uganda, DR Congo, and Cameroon.
"This is the best moment of my life, it is a humbling experience and I thank God. Now we need to bring transfer this performance to the local league and plan on how to retain the league (title)," the Kwanthanze alumnus explained.
"Her take off is superb and she is very unpredictable in her attacks, if she can learn to maintain her composure and not get excited until the job is done, then she will go very far," Pipeline coach Margaret Indakhala spoke of Kiprono.
Earlier, Kiprono contributed an impressive 17 points as Pipeline defeated Algeria's Petroliers 3-0(25-22,25-17,25-18) in the third and fourth play-off match.
This was the fourth bronze medal for the Kenyan club at this tournament, adding to their shinning record which includes six titles and a similar number of silver medals.
Meanwhile, hosts Ahly captured a 10th historic title after outclassing Tunisia's Carthage 3-1(21-25,25-15,25-11,25-19) in the final.
Kenya Commercial Bank came in ninth, whilst Prisons were disqualified after off the court squabbles involving the team's management saw the team pull out of the Championship with potentially two fixtures left to play.
In the other individual awards, Ahly's Aya Abdelmaksoud, Farida Elaslany, and Shorouk Mahmoud were awarded the tournament's Most Valuable Player, best blocker and best setter respectively.
Petroliers Salma Hammouche received the best libero gong, as Carthage duo Fatma Ktari and Vorona Yulia walked home with the best receiver and best server award.
