Kenyan woman's volleyball team reigns in Africa

The Kenyan women's volleyball team once again ruled the continent by clinching the eighth Africa Nations Championships crown. But the question remains whether they can extend the same dominance at next year's World Championships in Italy. The hosts recovered in the final set to complete a 3-0 whitewash of Tunisia on Thursday night (25-17, 25-20, 25-23) to complete the perfect record at the round robin tournament having dismissed Cameroon, Senegal, Algeria and Egypt by the same score line to underline their continental supremacy. "We are now embarking on training ahead of the World Championships qualifiers in November but I'm pleased my team did as I asked of them in a very difficult match," the team's coach, David Lung'aho enthused after leading the girls to yet another Africa crown. While it goes without question Kenya are among the favourites to secure one of the two berths reserved for African teams for the 2014 FIVB World Cup in the November continental qualifiers, what remains is whether the talented side can make an impact at the global stage. At the last World Championships in Japan in 2011, the East Africans finished joint 21st (last) with fellow Africans Algeria, Canada and Kazakhstan in the last edition in without winning a single game, collecting only two sets against Chinese Taipei. Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) has the task of investing heavily in the team to give them a chance against global women's volleyball superpowers Russia, Brazil, U.S. Japan and Italy who crushed the African queens in humiliating fashion in Japan. Reports that the team was ejected from the hostels of the tournament venue, Nairobi's Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani before the African Championships cast a dark shadow on KVF- led by veteran administrator, Waithaka Kioni, who is also the vice-president of CAVB, the continental body. While Kioni and his administration have mastered the art of begging for funds, it is shocking that the enormous commercial potential the team possesses, such marketing female products in Kenyan and beyond owing to their extended continental success has not be exploited. "We have sent numerous proposals to companies but they are yet to respond," was Kioni's wistful reply when that was passed across to him. However, his assessment contradicts recent developments in the country's sports sponsorship environment where companies are spending millions of dollars in engaging federations, teams and in some cases, individual athletes. Athletics Kenya, Kenya Rugby Union, national football team Harambee Stars and individual athletes like Javelin star, Julius Yego and sevens rugby ace Collins Injera are few examples of sports institutions and exponents who have benefited from the corporate windfall in recent times in Kenya. A team that has won eight African crowns, participated at the Olympics and World Championships should be an easy sell to enable thorough preparations for the global showpiece if the kind of beating Kenya suffered in Japan is not to be repeated.