Kenya Ports Authority right attacker Enock Mogeni was the new inclusion in the men’s beach volleyball team that was named Tuesday ahead of Olympic qualifiers in Agadir, Morocco.
Mogeni was not part of the team that qualified for the second round event that was staged in Uganda in 2020.
Mogeni, who recently returned in the country after plying his trade with Swedish side Sodertelge, replaced General Service Unit left attacker Cornelius Kiplagat. Men’s team coach Patrick Owino said Mogeni is a good player.
“He has all the credentials of a beach volleyball player. He is also young and his agility is on another level,” said Owino.
Mogeni will partner with Brian Melly in one of the two pairs that depart for the host nation on Friday for June 21-28 competition. The other pair has experienced duo of Ibrahim Oduor and James Mwaniki.
Kiplagat, Donald Mchete and Wilfred Kimtai were dropped from squad that has been training at the Pride Inn Flamingo hotel in Mombasa County for two weeks.
The men’s team will battle for the top two slots to qualify for the final round against Botswana, Gambia, Tunisia, Congo Brazaville, South Africa,Cape Verde, Morocco and Tanzania.
Others are Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritius, Sudan, South Sudan,Togo, Sierra Leone, Niger, Nigeria and Zimbabwe.
In the women’s category, the team that finished second behind Rwanda in 2020 during the second round qualifiers in Tanzania has been retained.
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Experienced Gaudencia Makokha will partner Brackcides Agala, while Yvonne Wavinya will pair with Phoscah Kasisi.
Director of Criminal Investigations duo of Veronica Adhiambo and Maureen Wekesa as well as Naomi Too were dropped from the team.
Women’s coach Sammy Mulinge said she was impressed with the performance of Adhiambo, despite not making the traveling party.
“We will build a team around her. She is the future of the sport. Too is the most experienced player in the country and we will definitely consider her in the forthcoming events,” said Mulinge, who also coaches KPA men’s team.
“But after the Olympics, the beach commission will start a youth program that will see players drawn from primary and secondary schools nurtured specifically for the discipline,” he added.
Kenya will battle Gambia, Ivory Coast, Zambia, Ghana, Sudan, South Sudan, South Africa,Tunisia, Sierra Leonne, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Mauritius, Niger and hosts Morocco.
