Malkia coach in selection dilemma as he prepares to unveil final squad
Malkia Strikers will name the final 14 players for the Challenger Cup on July 20—six days before the team heads to France for the three-day championship.
The team is currently in Morocco for a high-performance training camp before the Laval challenge set for July 27-30.
The Kenya Queens will tackle Colombia in the quarterfinals of the Challenger Cup on July 28 with the competition acting as a qualifier to the Volleyball Nations League.
Coach Paul Bitok said the players have already adjusted well after a week of training in Morocco.
"Players worked according to their departments. We also focused on defence and the playing system," Bitok said.
"The competition for the final 14 slots is fierce. Both the senior and junior players have improved, posing selection headache to the technical bench," he added.
Malkia are lined up for two friendly matches against the Moroccan national team on Friday and Saturday. Morocco are also preparing for the Africa Nations Championships set for Cameroon from August 5-18.
"We have to maximise on the few remaining days and make corrections before we leave for France. I do believe and trust we have a strong team that will produce the best results this year if we work together with a common goal," noted Bitok.
"We also wish to sincerely appreciate the support we have received from the Ministry of Sports, National Olympics Committee, KVF, FIVB, CAVB, Morocco federation, and our host Rabat International University. We look forward to achieving more as we work towards elevating volleyball to the next level."
Malkia have the obligation of accumulating as many points as possible in the Challenger Cup and winning the Africa Nations Cup since the two competitions are crucial if they are to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Malkia beat Cameroon in their backyard prior to qualifying for the Tokyo Games in 2020. However, the team has lost the past three editions of the Nations Championships, coincidentally, against perennial rivals Cameroon.
The Mercy Moim-captained side is the only African team enjoying the support of FIVB. BY THE STAR

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