Hockey: Women's team for 2024 Olympic qualifiers reduced
Kenya national hockey team player Eleaner Chebet dribbles the ball during a training session in Birmingham, on July 27, 2022, ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
What you need to know:
- During the 2022 Olympic qualifiers that were held in South Africa in 2019, the women's side, then coached by Tom Olal, finished fourth ahead of Namibia in the five nation tournament, while the men's team that was coached by Senge finished fifth ahead of Namibia.
University of Nairobi (UoN) goalkeeper Quinter Okore was among 11 players dropped as the national women's hockey team technical bench Sunday whittled down the squad ahead of the forthcoming 2024 Paris Olympic qualifiers.
The event is set for October 29 to November 5 at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Okore was part of the team that participated in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom last year.
While naming the squad of 30 players that will continue training at the City Park Hockey Stadium in Nairobi, head coach Meshack Senge said they were guided by discipline, availability of the players and the growth in the selection.
"I think we have been fair in our selections. For starters, we got players from the squad to come up with the list of 30 players from the total number of 41 that they want to be in the team. Their selections were not far from what the technical bench had picked.
We have been training for a month now and atleast we have had time to scrutinize the players. The turn out was amazing and that goes to show that we have many players that are willing to learn and better themselves," said Senge, who coaches Strathmore University men and women's teams.
Other players who were dropped are Beryl Ochieng, Daughty Ranga, Elsie Jemtai, Clementine Sims, Melvin Muga, Judy Abayo, Brenda Wanjiru, Lonah Awiti and Maroline Wabomba.
The team will have a new captain after Gilly Okumu, who had the armband, has been unavailable for training due to work commitment.
Defender Beatrice Mbugua, Lynne Mwangi and Jeriah Onsare who were in Birmingham, have also given the training sessions a wide berth.
Kenya will compete against Namibia, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe in the women's competition.
The men's team, which is training under the guidance of Fidelis Kimanzi, is also expected to be trimmed later this week.
The men's side will compete against Egypt, Uganda, Ghana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Nigeria.
During the 2022 Olympic qualifiers that were held in South Africa in 2019, the women's side, then coached by Tom Olal, finished fourth ahead of Namibia in the five nation tournament, while the men's team that was coached by Senge finished fifth ahead of Namibia.
Squad
Goalkeepers
Fiona Makena, Cynthia Onyango, Millicent Adhiambo, Alice Wanjiru and Rebecca Nasambu
Defenders
Flavia Mutiva, Lucy Wangeci, Diana Awino, Vivian Onyango, Mourine Owiti, Tamunai Lynn, Beverlyne Akoth, Eunice Awuor and Chentry Stacy.
Midfielders
Caroline Guchu, Paula Ochieng, Rhoda Kuira, Agnetta Okumu, Nicole Odhiambo, Mourine Achieng, Tracy Nungari and Rachel Khamala.
Forwards
Monicah Kituyi, Grace Bwire, Eleanor Chebet, Naomi Kemunto, Maureen Ongo'oche, Aurelia Opondo, Alice Owiti and Maureen Okumu.
