African Games: Silver, bronze for Wafalme, Malkia as curtains fall

National men’s volleyball team Wafalme Stars are the African silver medalist after a stellar show during the 13th African Games held in Ghana.

Under the tutelage of Elisha Aliwa, the side had an unbeaten run through to the final, falling to Egypt in the championship match 3-0 (25-23,25-21,25-18).

Silver for Aliwa’s men is a massive improvement from the team’s last appearance in the continental Games, having won bronze in 2011 and missing the next two editions.

Wafalme, who went to battle without the foreign-based legion, opened their campaign with a 3-0 win over Chad in the group stage and have barely put a foot wrong as they saw off hosts Ghana by a similar margin before completing a perfect group stage run with another straight-sets victory over Gambia.

In the quarters, Kenya beat Burkina Faso 3-0 to storm the semis where they took on Cameroon for another straight victory that saw the East Africans head to the final without dropping a set.

The going, however, got tough for Wafalme against the Pharaohs as they lost by straight sets.

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Meanwhile, the women’s team picked an easy victory against hosts Ghana to finish third.

Malkia Strikers who went to battle as the defending champions gave away a 2-set lead in the semis to fall 3-2 to Egypt, a defeat that relegated the Japheth Munala-led to the third-place match.