Returning Meldina Sande upbeat as Malkia Strikers Challenger, Olympic preps start
By Collins Amanga, June 11, 2024
Malkia Strikers’ left attacker Meldina Sande is among the players at the team’s camp in Kasarani, preparing for upcoming assignments.
The African champions have joined the camp and will undergo several training sessions before heading to the Philippines for the Challenger Series.
Malkia Strikers camp
Following this, they will attend a pre-Olympics camp in Miramas.
Sande expressed her excitement about returning to the camp and her determination to work hard. She believes the players are ready to give the coaches a tough task in selecting the final squad.
“I have been out for a while, but I am back. I am so excited, and I see everyone is ready. We are quite a number, and everyone will need to focus so that by the end of three weeks, everyone will have achieved their goals, and the coaches will have a hard time choosing the final 14 or 16 players,” Sande stated.
The Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls alumnus is an African Club Championship 2021 bronze medalist and played a crucial role in helping Josp Barasa’s team retain their national title that same year.
She was named the Most Valuable Player during the Prison Championship Commissioner Cup in May.
The Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) has announced new leadership for the Malkia Strikers ahead of the 2024 FIVB Challenger Cup and the Paris Olympic Games.
Triza Atuka from Kenya Pipeline has been appointed as the new captain, while Edith Mukuvilani, also known as “Wisah,” will serve as her assistant. Atuka replaces Mercy Moim.
The announcement was made after the team reported to Kasarani for preparations for the upcoming international competitions. KVF expressed confidence in the new leadership, believing that Atuka and Mukuvilani will lead the team to great achievements.
Malkia strikers victory
The Malkia Strikers, Kenya’s women’s volleyball team, recently secured their 10th continental title by winning the 2023 CAVB Africa Women’s Nations Cup.
They achieved a remarkable 3-0 victory (25-22, 25-20, 25-14) over Egypt, ending an eight-year wait for the title and securing their qualification for the Olympics.
The team arrived at Kasarani early Tuesday and were officially received by National Olympic Committee Kenya Secretary General Francis Mutuku and Paris 2024 C.E.O. Wanji Mbugua. The squad will train at Kasarani before heading to the Philippines for the Challenger Series, followed by a pre-Olympics camp in Miramas.
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