NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 13 – Malkia Strikers head coach Paul Bitok has warned the team will not merely be participating at the Tokyo Olympic Games, but will be going to compete with the world’s best.
Kenya’s last involvement at the Olympic Games was in Athens, 2004, where they ended up losing all their five matches, but this time, coach Bitok has laid an ambitious marker for the girls to try and make it in the least to the second round.
Kenya has been drawn into Pool A of the tournament which starts July 26 and will face off with Japan, Serbia, Brazil, Dominican Republic and South Korea. They need just one win from these five games to make it into the second round.
“This time, the team is not going just to participate. We want to go and win some matches. It is our hope to qualify for the second round. I know it is very tough because all the teams there are very good but with the training we have had, we will surprise some of the teams,” a confident Bitok stated.
Malkia Strikers star players Sharon Chepchumba and Jane Wacu. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
The team has been training at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani for the last two months and jetted out to Kurume City last Friday. They have already had three days in the Japanese City, training as they await travel to Tokyo.
In Kurume, the tactician hopes to secure some friendly games to enable his team prepare better, and to know what they need to work on heading to the Olympic Games.
“What we have been missing are the training matches. It is very important to have some games to test what you have been training. In Kurume we have had contact with some clubs and Universities and I am hoping we can have one or two games before the Olympics,” the coach stated.
The team also failed to travel to Brazil for a proposed five-week training camp due to COVID-19 concerns, but had four Brazilian coaches in camp helping the train and prepare for the games.
Malkia Strikers at the JKIA ahead of their departure to Tokyo. Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
Bitok has admitted that the presence of the four experienced coaches has been a huge hit for the team as they have improved and learnt so many new things.
“I am really happy with what they have brought in. They have enabled us to look at statistics of players after every training session and that is what we didn’t have before. We also had a specialist in conditioning and we did a lot of strength training as well and that was not the case before,” said Bitok.
“It has also been great to have these experienced coaches bring in the Brazilian culture. Brazil is one of the best volleyball countries in the world and we have been trying to learn from their culture in the way we train and play,” said the coach.
He believes the impact the four coaches have had on the team will be vital for their performance in the Olympic Games and future tournaments as well.
