Bitok hopes for Brazil camp, Serbia friendlies after Malkia Strikers know World Champs opponents

NAIROBI, Kenya, March 18 – Malkia Strikers head coach Paul Bitok has revealed that there are plans for the national team to camp in Brazil for one month and also play friendly matches against teams in Serbia ahead of the Women’s Volleyball World Championships set to be staged in September.

Malkia have been drawn in Group A of the Championship and will face off with African rivals Cameroon, Puerto Rico, hosts Netherlands, Belgium and Italy.

“I have learnt that the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) chairman Waithaka Kioni has secured a sponsorship from FIVB for the team to train in Brazil for one month. We are also in advanced talks with Serbia to have the team there for some friendly matches and this will be very key for us if we are to perform well at the World Championships,” Bitok told Capital Sports.

Prior to the Olympic Games, the team had been scheduled to travel to Brazil for a similar camp, but the plans were put off in the last minutes due to concerns around the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead, the team had four Brazilian coaches coming in to Nairobi to train the team and they accompanied them to the Olympic Games, where they showed remarkable improvement despite failing to win a game.

“The Brazilian coaches brought in some new systems that really helped improve the team. Even if we didn’t win, the scores against giants like Korea and Brazil showed just how much the team improved. If we can have that one again, I believe we can do well,” the coach further stated.

Bitok says that early preparation will be key for the team and has alluded a plan to have staggered training sessions starting next month before they travel to Brazil.

The tactician wants to have at least a few days each week with the players to kick off preparations and he says the fact that the Africa Women’s Club Championship might be in May is also a boost as it will help the players remain match fit.

“We need to have exposure with high level matches and that is the only way we can compete well at the highest level. Once the players are used to such competitions, improvement is always automatic,” stated the tactician.

Commenting on the draw, Bitok says it is a fair draw and the Malkia Strikers have a clean chance of a historic place in the second round.

The coach who will be leaving the team later on to vie for an elective post at KVF says it will be his dream and desire to step down from coaching, having earned Kenya a historic qualification.

“I believe it is a fair draw for us. Cameroon and Puerto Rico are teams that we can compete with very well. Italy and Netherlands are also very tough teams but I believe we have the chance to qualify for the next round,” he says.

“I also want to start building a team with young players that will compete at the 2024 Olympic Games and this offers us a good chance to do that,” he added.

The Championships will be co-hosted by Poland and Netherlands with kenya playing its Pool A matches in Arnhem.

After the first stage, the top four teams in each pool will advance to the second phase featuring two pools of eight teams each, to be played in Rotterdam and Lodz, with the best four moving on to the quarterfinals.