The Malkia Strikers, Kenya’s national women’s volleyball team, are determined to secure their first set win at the Olympic Games. They face a formidable challenge against top-ranked Poland in their second Group B match of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at the South Paris Arena on Wednesday at 9 pm.
Unlike Kenya, who returned to the Olympics in Tokyo 2020 after a 16-year absence and failed to make a significant impact, Poland has returned to the event as one of the favorites since their last appearance in Beijing 2008. The record African champions, ranked 20th globally, have yet to win a single set in their Olympic history. Poland, ranked fourth in Europe, displayed their prowess by overcoming Japan 3-1 (20-25, 25-22, 25-23, 28-26) in their opening match on Sunday. In contrast, the Malkia Strikers were defeated 3-0 (25-14, 25-13, 25-12) by the volleyball giants Brazil on Monday.
Despite the uphill battle, head coach Japheth Munala remains optimistic about the team’s potential to create an upset against Poland. With eight players making their Olympic debut, Munala believes the team has the capability to challenge the European side.
“The Brazil match is now behind us, and our focus is on Poland. We are going to sit down as the technical bench and look at how Poland played in their previous matches in the VNL as well as Sunday’s match, then train on what we have seen in the videos and counter them,” Munala stated. “We had some unforced errors against Brazil that we must rectify ahead of our second match. We must also work on reaction on the court. Of course, Poland is one of the strongest teams as per this championship, but we don’t feel any pressure.”
Munala added, “If we can receive well like we did against Brazil, then make our net and back defense work, there is a possibility of getting a set in the remaining two matches.”
Assistant captain Edith Wisa echoed Munala’s sentiments, expressing optimism about the team’s performance. “We picked some positive lessons in our first match, and we are looking forward to having an impressive outing against Poland. We have improved so much on our reception; we just need to work on our attack and defense,” said Wisa.
Among the new faces in the team, Pamela Adhiambo and Esther Mutinda are eager to prove their critics wrong. Adhiambo, who was Kenya’s top scorer with seven points against Brazil, remains hopeful about their chances. “From the performance we had against Brazil, we have high hopes of doing better against Poland and Japan. Definitely, there will be negativity coming around that loss against Brazil, but as players, we know the positives to pick from that match,” said Adhiambo.
The Malkia Strikers are well aware of the challenges ahead but are undeterred. Their journey to the Olympics has been filled with trials, and they are determined to make the most of their opportunity on the world stage. The match against Poland is not just another game; it’s a chance for the team to showcase their growth and resilience. With the right mindset and execution, the Malkia Strikers aim to turn the tide in their favor and make history by securing their first set win at the Olympics.
