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2026 CAVB Women’s Africa Championship: Malkia strikers advance to final, close in on Olympics berth
04th September, 2026 07:46 AM
The Kenya women’s volleyball team, Malkia Strikers, registered a huge win over continental rivals Cameroon to book a ticket for the finals of the African Women’s Volleyball Championship on Thursday, September 3, 2026.
Godfey Omondi’s charges eased past the West Africans in three straight sets to seal a dominant display in the semifinals staged at Kasarani Indoor Arena, a feat that also secured them a place in next year’s Women’s Volleyball World Cup in the United States of America (USA) and Canada.
The Meldina Sande skippered Kenyan queens also closed in on 2028 Olympic Games qualification, an achievement they will secure if they beat the Northern African giants on Friday, September 4, 2026.
Enjoying a massive home crowd that included various dignitaries from the ministry of Sports and Youth, the buzzing Strikers dismissed Cameroon and roared to the opening set, winning narrowly on a 25-19. They moved their dominance a notch higher and won the second set on a 25-20 margin.
Gunning for 11th title
The ladies slammed the door on the Cameroonians in the final set, dispatching them on a 25-19 score line to send the fans at Kasarani Arena to a frenzy and spark wild celebration and optimism of the 11th African title, their first since 2023.
Egypt next
For their efforts, Kenya set up a final against Egypt on Friday at 6:00 pm at the same venue.
Egypt outsmarted East African giants Rwanda 3-0, winning in sets of 25-5, 25-17, in the opening couple of sets. The third set turned into a thriller, but Egypt stayed composed to seal the sweep and book their spot in the championship final with a 32-30.
Speaking after the victory, Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya hailed the invaluable role of the fans who attended the event in leading Kenya to the victory.
Eyeing bigger goals
Mvurya also urged the girls to stay focused on the bigger objective of sealing qualification for the upcoming Olympic Games in Los Angeles in the United States.
“This far you have done well, and we call on you to finish the work tomorrow when you play Egypt. The end of the road is for you to qualify for the Olympic Games now that you have already qualified for the World Cup.”
“The government, through President William Ruto, and 58 million Kenyans are behind you, and we will be cheering you,” the CS posited.
“I will talk to the president, and you know what that means. But all in all, we are proud of you for what you have achieved so far, and I just want you to complete the good work you have begun,” he added.
On his part, Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) president Charles Nyaberi acknowledged the unwavering support the ministry has accorded the team, saying they remain indebted.
“I want to thank the players for not putting us to shame. FIVB president Azevedo, CAVB president Bouchra, CS, PS, and other dignitaries were in attendance, and you can imagine how it could have been if the results would not have turned in our favour. But I appreciate the players for making us proud, and I hope that tomorrow will not be different,” Nyaberi stated.
