Wasteful Kenya Grab Sole Win as China Lift Volleyball World Cup Trophy

Malkia Strikers celebrating after winning the 2019 All Africa Games Championship [Photo: Courtesy]
Kenya’s national women Volleyball team Malkia Strikers staged a spirited fight to register their only win at the closure of the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Cup staged in Japan.

The Paul Bitok-coached side beat Cameroon 3-1 (15-25,24-26, 25-14, 21-25) to wrap up the tournament on a high note in spite of losing 10 matches prior to the Cameroon tie.

They had lost to the USA, Netherlands, Serbia, Brazil, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the eventual tournament winners China.

Malkia Strikers head coach Paul Bitok. [Photo: Courtesy]
China lifted the World title with an unbeaten record after whipping all their 11 opponents including the 2018 World Cup winners Serbia. China who had sealed their fate with a match to go would wallop Argentina 3-0 to make it 11-0 in the tournament which kicked off on Saturday, September 14

The Chinese are now focusing on winning the gold at the upcoming 2020 Olympics Games. Their head coach Lang Ping had explained the reason behind their calmness even after they were announced the winners with a match to go, before they beat Argentina on Sunday, September 29.

“Firstly, this competition hasn’t ended yet, so I didn’t feel like celebrating too much today. Secondly, we have won many games recently, so this is sort of getting normal and I’m kind of getting used to it,” head coach Lang Ping he said on Saturday.

This is China’s fifth World Cup title following their victory in 1981, 1985, 2003 and 2015.

For Kenya’s women national volleyball team, who are also 2019 All Africa Games champions, much work has to be done for a better performance going forward.

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