The national women volleyball team has retained their Africa title easily beating North Africans Algeria 3-0 in the finals of the Women’s African Nations Championships at the Moi International Sports center Kasarani.
The Kenyan queens coached by David Lungaho on Saturday put up a spirited fight to win the first set 25-17.
Algeria fought hard in the second set but their efforts were fruitless after being beaten 25-21.
Kenya won the third set 25-20 to claim their ninth African title.
Kenya will now represent Africa in the World Cup Volleyball set to be held in Japan in September this year.
Kenya and Algeria qualified for the finals after beating Cameroon and Senegal respectively in the semifinals.
The match was the third final between the African giants in eight years after 2007 and 2011 when Kenya won both events in Nairobi to compete in the last two World Cup.
Jane Wacu was feted as the best setter, Ruth Chepng’etich (best blocker), Elizabeth Wanyama (best libero) and MVP- Evelyn Makuto
Earlier Kenya captain Praxcedes Agala said they will be keen to revenge on their loss to the Algerians back in 2011, which saw Kenya miss the London Olympics.“We are ready,” she said in Nairobi before the match .
“It is a matter of national pride and the team has done its part to reach here, we must finish off the job.”
Alongside the Africa Nations Championships, Kenya team will also compete in the All Africa Games in Brazzaville, Congo (September), 2016 Olympic qualifiers (October), World Grand Prix, as well as beach Volleyball competitions.
The World Cup will have only 12 teams. Host Japan will be joined by the world champions and two teams from each of the five continental confederations for both the women’ s event, which will take place from Aug. 22 to Sept. 6, and the men’ s competition which runs from Sept. 8-23.
China and South Korea will join the women’ s competition from Asia. Europe will be represented by Russia and Serbia. Two more teams will come from North, Central America & Caribbean Confederation while an additional two will come from South America.
Brazil will not participate in either competition as they are already qualified for next year’ s Games in Rio as the competition host. Top four teams at the World Cup will qualify for the Rio Olympic Games.
