Wafalme Stars begin preps ahead of Africa Games qualifiers

National men’s volleyball team, Wafalme Stars, will hit the ground running when they assemble on Monday 8 January for non-residential training ahead of African Games Qualifiers (Zone 5) set for later in the month.

The Zone 5 qualifiers are set for Egypt this month, with the team set to fly out on 21 January. The Gideon Tarus-led team hopes to use the two weeks of training to create a formidable side that can make it to the continental extravaganza. 

Preparations in top gear as handball men’s team ready for African tourney

The 13th African Games are expected to be held in Ghana between 8 and 23 March 2024. This is the second time in history that the games will be decentralized, as three cities in the country will host the event. The three cities chosen for these functions are Accra, Kumasi, and Cape Coast.

“We have made a few changes to the squad that did duty in the last assignment, the championship hosted in Egypt last year. We have revamped the centre position to ensure creativity and also have experience as it is a crucial position. A few more changes have been effected but a majority of the squad remains,” Tarus told Mozzart Sport.

The tactician says two weeks of training will not give his bench much time to work on a lot but will be sufficient to ensure they get the basics right ahead of the competition as they look to qualify.

Tarus maintains that the squad of 22, 18 Kenyan based players and four Internationals can make the best of the time they have to prepare, given they have been active and thus physically ready to fight for a place at the Africa Games.

The men's team has missed the last two editions of the Games in 2015 and 2019, the last participation coming in 2011 in Maputo where the East African country won bronze, defeating Rwanda 3-0 in the third-place match. 

In the group stage, Kenya won 3-1 against Nigeria and 3-0 against South Africa to finish in second place for a semis slot. The side, however, lost to eventual winners Cameroon 3-2 in the semis to miss out on the Championship match. The Central African country beat Algeria 3-2 in the final.

Kenya had finished fourth in the 2007 Games held Algiers, losing 3-1 to Tunisia in the semis and 3-2 to the hosts in the bronze medal clash.