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Malkia receive Japanese touch ahead of World Championship
Former Kenya national women volleyball team coach Sadatoshi Sugawara (left) with his Japanese assistants at the Hitachi Rivale Volleyball Club indoor gymnasium, Japan on September 23, 2018. PHOTO | COURTESY |
What you need to know:
- The Kenyan team is currently camping in Japan to acclimatize ahead of the competition which serves off on Saturday. The three-week competition has attracted 24 nations and will be played across six cities
- Coach Japheth Munala was joined for the training session by ex-Japan international Sugawara, who coached Kenya at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2006 World Championship held in Japan
- Sugawara is best remembered in the local volleyball circles for instilling a fighting spirit and discipline in the women team including supervising food rations for his players. He also groomed the likes of Brackcides Agala and Lydia Maiyo into continental stars
Malkia Strikers stepped up preparations for the upcoming FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship with Japanese coach Sadatoshi Sugawara leading the team through a two-hour training session at the Hitachi Rivale Volleyball Club indoor gymnasium on Sunday.
The Kenyan team is currently camping in Japan to acclimatize ahead of the competition which serves off on Saturday. The three-week competition has attracted 24 nations and will be played across six cities.
Coach Japheth Munala and his charges will be based in Hamamatsu during the tournament where tough group ‘D’ matches against Brazil, Dominican Republic, Serbia, Puerto Rico and Kazakhstan are lined up.
And in preparation for this assignment, Munala was joined for the training session by ex-Japan international Sugawara, who coached Kenya at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2006 World Championship held in Japan.
Sugawara is best remembered in the local volleyball circles for instilling a fighting spirit and discipline in the women team including supervising food rations for his players. He also groomed the likes of Brackcides Agala and Lydia Maiyo into continental stars.
“We are on the final stages of our preparations and he (Sugawara) was here to talk to us about what to expect because we have three debutants at the international level,” explained the team’s technical director David Lung’aho.
The squad is expected to relocate from Hitachi to Korube city on Monday for a three-day training camp and compete in two friendlies against yet to be identified opponents.
“Camping here gives us great motivation to approach the Championship with confidence and we appreciate coach Sugawara for his kind gesture and support, including facilitating our stay here,” Munala added.
Continental champions Cameroon are the other African team competing in this competition with USA, China, Serbia, hosts Japan and Russia considered favourites to triumph.
Malkia Strikers Squad
Setters: Jane Wacu, Janet Wanja
Middle Blockers: Trizah Atuka , Edith Wisa, Lorine Chebet, Chrsitine Siwa
Outside Hitters: Mercy Moim, Noel Murambi, Sharon Chepchumba, Leonida Kasaya
Opposites: Violet Makuto , Emmaculate Chemtai
Liberos: Elizabeth Wanyama, Aggripina Kundu
