VOLLEYBALL: Ladies return from Netherlands

By Swalley Kenyi

Africa Women World Championship Qualifiers

Kenya v Uganda (Feb 16)

Uganda v Mozambique (Feb 17)

Senegal v Uganda (Feb 18)

Uganda v Seychelles (Feb 19)

Tunisia v Uganda (Feb 20)

Uganda v Cape Verde (Feb 22)

AFTER a fortnight’s tour of the Netherlands, Uganda national volleyball team is upbeat ahead of taking on Kenya in the forthcoming 2014 FIVB World Championship Qualifiers at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

The team returned early this week and team captain Christine Alupo said that they have improved their tactical abilities like pace, blocks and the height of their jumps among others.

Uganda will launch their one week campaign to battle for the global championship against hosts of the qualifiers Kenya, who have often had a field day when they clash again on February 16.

“I can assure the country that we have got similar training like the Kenyans have always enjoyed. Although they (Kenya) still enjoy some difference from us, I have a promise from the girls to die for the country and that will yield the results for us in Nairobi,” Alupo vowed.

Uganda and Kenya have met a number of times before and the Cranes have always lost the fight. The latest time was when the two clashed at the earlier stage of the same qualifiers in Kampala when the two sides advanced to the second round of the competition.

Then, Kenyan women also won the Africa Zone Five World Championship qualifier tournament while hosts Uganda came second after ejecting Burundi and Egypt.

Cranes coach Tonny Lakony believes that Kenya chose to face Uganda in the first encounter as a move to set their pace in the qualifiers but they could regret the decision because his team has changed greatly following the tour to Europe.

Since returning to the country on Monday, Cranes’ team has taken a break but they resume training at International School of Uganda (ISU) in Lubowa on Friday.