Africa aim to make history at the World Volleyball Championship

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As the World Volleyball Championship kicked off in the Netherlands, Kenya and Cameroon have geared up to make a mark and qualify for the second round, a feat previously unachieved by any African team.

This will require both teams to learn valuable lessons from the top contenders that they face at every round. According to the coach of Kenyan team Malkia Strikers, who lost to the Dutch team in their opening match, the high level of competition in the championship will provide valuable exposure to the players in their bid to place Africa on the global volleyball map. Kenya is being captained by Mercy Moim, who has been in the team for 15 years, through important tournaments such as the African and World Championships and the Tokyo Olympics.

Likening herself to a mother figure in the team, Moim hopes to train and inspire the next generation of players.

Cameroon is also on a history making journey with a predominantly young squad including the 25-year-old EmeldaPiata who joined the team four years ago. As one of the older members of the squad Piata is aware of the influence she has on younger players and fans in her home country.Moreover, she is a crucial asset for Cameroon who have a long-standing rivalry with Kenya, who have been placed in the same draw.

The two teams have been finalists at the last five African championships which Kenya has won the last two times, and Cameroon have won thrice prior to that. With tough group mates Netherlands, Italy, Puerto Rico, and Belgium, the two African teams are now also aiming to win against each other.However, the outcome of their clash is expected to be unpredictable as both teams have added new players.

Ultimately, Cameroon and Kenya hope to perform well against every rival, not just each other, and qualify to the second round which will be played by four groups of four team each.