3cIt is ten titles for national women’s volleyball team Malkia Strikers!
The wait was long, eight years to be exact, but in 2023, powered by the indefatigable Sharon ‘Chumba’ Chepchumba, the African Queens delivered.
A straight-sets victory (25-22, 25-20, 25-14) for coach Luizomar de Moura‘s charges wasn’t just a win, it meant much more. With this win, their trip to Paris for the 2024 Olympics is almost guaranteed.
As the ball flew past the net to land on Egypt’s side of the court, unreturnable, with the score reading 24-14, Mercy Moim‘s power behind it carried the weight of a nation.
It was not just an ace, it was a history-making one, ten-time champions. The entire Kenyan bench and the players on the court waited patiently, anticipating the return from Egypt to go for side out.
It was therefore understandable that it took them a second to realise what had just happened and then there were bodies sprawled all over the floor.
Tears flowed freely, congratulatory embraces amongst the players, the coaching staff hurdled in one of their own before joining the players. Beautiful scenes all round!
As the match started, coach Luizomar started his usual lineup, no taking risks while his opposite number settled for
Veronica Adhiambo got action going with a kill but handed the opponent their first on her next service. Kenya rallied for 4-1 with Chumba on attack and Edith Wisah with two overpass kills.
Egypt came back for 4-3 but Kenya kept the push going, Moim making it 9-5 with her first ace of the evening. Chumba’s kill gave Kenya a five-point advantage forcing Egypt into a timeout.
Malkia had opened a six-point gap at 12-6 but Egypt went on a four-point scoring streak that cut Kenya’s advantage to three at 13-10 before pulling away again for 17-11 and coach Emad El-Din needed another timeout.
The Egyptian tactician made two changes at 18-13 to try and change his side’s momentum but the changes were not immediately felt as Kenya still led 20-15, prompting Luizomar to make his first change, bringing in Jemimah Siang’u for Wisah.
Egypt rallied for 21-18, sending Kenya into a timeout and again at 24-22 from 23-19 before the now ten-time champions could win the opening set 25-22 with a Chumba kill.
Kenya recovered from a slow start in the second set, that saw Egypt lead 0-2, to assume lead at 5-4 and open a four-point advantage at 11-7 forcing Egypt into a timeout.
There was no relenting for Luizomar’s charges as they maintained the four-point lead at 17-13 before Siang’u was introduced to rest Wisah. Her services pushed Kenya to a 20-16 lead before Wisah resumed here duties on the court.
At 21-17 the tactician introduced Rose Magoi and Loice Simiyu for Emmaculate Nekesa and Chumba the duo proving themselves on the court with an ace from the former and a block from Simiyu before they were taken off for the starters at 23-19.
Chumba made a kill to get Kenya to set point before finishing off with what would have been a chance ball for Egypt but, expecting it not to go past the net, left it to hit the floor ending the set at 25-20.
The third set was definitely music to Kenyan fans ears, agony for the Egyptians who found themselves trailing 3-0 off of Adhiambo’s services and further at 9-0.
A timeout for El Din changed the momentum for his side and they cut Kenya’s advantage to three at 9-6, forcing Luizomar into a break of his own.
From then on it was clear who the champion was going to be as Malkia Strikers had a nine-point advantage at 18-9 with Trizah Atuka and Wisah combining well with the rest of the team for a magnificent block party that even Chumba and Moim were invited to as the set ended 25-14 in favour of the Kenyans.
