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The national women's volleyball team is not new to success. The team has won a record nine African titles and recently retained their African Games gold in Morocco.
Long before the team was christened Malkia Strikers, the sport had already its share of legends. Kenya made it to the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympic Games, but subsequent attempts to qualify for the Games from then have only brought heartache to Kenyans. Kenya finished 11th in the 2004 Games.
The African qualifiers for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games will be held at a yet to be decided date and venue in January next year, where Malkia Strikers will be hoping to snatch the lone slot the continent is reserved for in the Games after missing out on the 2008 (Beijing), 2012 (London) and 2016 (Rio) events.
Nation Sport takes a look at the heroines who represented the country at the 2000 Games:
Mary Ayuma, Violet Barasa, Ednah Chepngeno, Margaret Indakhala, Jackline Makokha, Roselidah Obunaka, Gladys Nasikanda, Dorcas Ndasaba, Judith Serenge, Doris Wefwafwa and Emily Wesutila
Head Coach: Gilbert Ohanya
Assistant coach: Paul Gitau
Nicknamed Fabisch, after the late Reinhardt Fabisch who transformed the national men football team, Harambee Stars, to a decent side in the late 90s, Ohanya is remembered as the first coach to guide the Kenyan volleyball team to the Olympics.
He coached Telkom and Kenya Pipeline at club level where he achieved big success in African Club Championships before retiring to his rural home in Ugunja where he led Ambira High School to the nationals on several occasions.
Ohanya passed away on September 14 this year after losing a long battle to prostate cancer. His burial is slated for October 5.
Unlike the joyful and ever-smiling Ohanya, Gitau - his assistant - was a no-nonsense coach. A former Nyeri Posta setter, Gitau learned honed his coaching skills under the guidance of Ohanya and remains one of the most qualified but underrated coaches in the country.
Besides coaching local sides like KCB, Gitau is best remembered for guiding Kenya's Under-23 team to the African Games title in Congo, Brazzaville in 2015. It is from that success that current Malkia Strikers stars Leonida Kasaya, Edith Wisa and Violet Makuto emerged.
Mary Ayuma: A setter at Telkom, Ayuma passed away five years ago.
Violet Barasa: The left attacker was a long-time captain for the Kenyan women's national volleyball team, guiding the team to the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games. She passed away on February 12, 2007, aged 31 while still an active player plying her trade in Egypt. She made her name locally at KCB.
Ednah Chepng'eno: One of the most experienced players in the team, Chepng'eno was a right attacker at Kenya Pipeline. She had featured in the 1998 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championships and at the 2000 Summer Olympics. She secured a scholarship to the USA where she is now working in Texas.
Margaret Indakala: The celebrated middle blocker was also part of the Kenya women's national volleyball team for 2004 Athens Olympics. She is currently the head coach of Kenya Pipeline women’s volleyball team. She led the team to a bronze medal in the Africa Club Championships in March this year.
Jackline Makokha: A left attacker at KPC, Makokha secured a scholarship to Texas, USA where she is working up to date.
Roselidah Obunaka: She was a left attacker at Kenya Pipeline and once captained the national team. Now works and lives in the USA and is also involved in volleyball, coaching in Missouri.
Gladys Nasikanda: Besides competing at the 2004 Athens Olympics, she featured for Union University in Tennessee, USA in 2004. She lives in the USA.
Dorcas Ndasaba: The legendary KCB outside hitter was part of the 1998 and 2002 Volleyball Women's World Championships and 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympics teams. She is now a coach based in Kigali, Rwanda.
Judith Serenge: The setter now works with Kenya Pipeline in Mombasa, having played both for the national team and Kenya Pipeline.
Nancy Waswa: After a successful career in the sport, she now lives and works in Mombasa.
Doris Wefwafwa: The outside hitter, fondly known as scum missile, relocated to the USA but sadly died just a week before graduating from Campbellsville University in Kentucky.
Emily Wesutila: The retiredlibero is attached to Kenya Pipeline Company in Nairobi.
