Bitok prescribes more international exposure for a real shot at 2024 Olympics

Malkia Strikers head coach Paul Bitok is a man on a mission. His vision; to see the national women's volleyball team challenge for a place in the knockout stages of the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

The tactician, fresh from guiding his charges to a second-place finish at the Women's Africa Nations Championships in Kigali,Rwanda to book a place in next year's 24-team World Championships says his mission for the African tourney was achieved. 

"We had a transitional squad and the youngsters did very well. We lost to Cameroon who have very experienced players, but we gave our youngsters playing time and they performed beyond expectations. This just goes to show they need to get the same exposure and more as we prepare for the World Championships and beyond," Bitok opined. 

Setter Esther Mutinda and middle blocker, who is not so new in the national team,Gladys Ekaru remain the standout young players who featured for Malkia in the championship. The latter went on to win the best blocker in the continent, at just 22. Ekaru was part of the team that did duty in Cameroon as Malkia qualified for the Olympics in January 2020. She picked more experience in Tokyo. 

Mutinda was making her debut for the national team and after the first match that Kenya lost to eventual winners Cameroon, she looks to have cemented herself as the first-choice setter, pipping Joy Lusenaka to the position. 

Lusenaka has been in the national team for a while but has played second fiddle to Janet Wanja and Jane Wacu who seem to have existed the stage. 

"We have the talent and the future is bright for this team. From Sharon Chepchumba to Ekaru, Mutinda and Lorine Chebet have players than we can build a new team around. All are 23 years and below. We also have players like Veronica Adhiambo of Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), KCB's Emmaculate Nekesa and Pipeline's Pamela Adhiambo who were part of the provisional squad for the Tokyo Games.

In addition to these players, we are looking at having four more new players in the team for our next assignment and the time to begin integrating them in the team is now," said Bitok.

The tactician believes that the team's training should not be interrupted. "If we can get to train for a week each month between now and the time we are hitting residential training for the World Championships it will be better." 

Malkia Strikers were part of FIVB’s revolutionary Volleyball Empowerment programme in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympics and coach Bitok beloves the same should be continued.

The programme was aimed at improving the performance of national teams around the world and provide support. Part of the programme targeted high-level national team performance, empowering teams with the human and technical resources needed to unlock their full potential. Resources included coaches, trainers, managers, physiotherapists and data analysts.

"The team was meant to hold at 45-day training camp in Barazil in preparation for the Tokyo Games. The federation should consider actualisisng that for the World Championships preparations. We need that level of training and friendly matches if the team is to be competitive at the international level," Bitok offered.