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Kasaya banks on x-ray vision to aid Malkia's course at Olympics

The  left attacker, who made her national team debut in 2014 during the FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix, has mostly played second fiddle to Noel Murambi and Mercy Moim.

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by OMONDI ONYATTA

Sports23 July 2021 - 02:00
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In Summary


  • •Kasaya says she spends most of her time on the bench studying their opponents' weaknesses
  • •Her keen eye to detail may help Malkia Strikers overcome their more fancied opponents in Pool A
  • •She believes they also need to cut out unnecessary mistakes if they are to progress far in Tokyo
Leonida Kasaya

Malkia Strikers' left attacker Leonida Kasaya believes her keen eye to detail will play to Kenya's advantage  by identifying and exploiting their opponents' weaknesses during the Tokyo Olympics.

The 27-year-old Kenya Commercial Bank player, who made her national team debut in 2014 during the FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix, has mostly played second fiddle to Noel Murambi and Mercy Moim— both at club and national  level.

"When I am on the bench, I always look at the inadequacies of my rivals. Through this, I get a detailed script on how to disorient their formation, targeting their weak areas and how to bring the best out of  my teammates during the game," the Kakamega-born said.

The women's national volleyball side are underdogs in Pool A, which comprises Brazil, Japan, Serbia, South Korea and Dominican Republic.

They start their Olympics campaign against the hosts on Sunday as they look to stamp their authority at the quadrennial competition. 

The former Kenya Pipeline player believes they are in good shape and can go far in the tournament if  they minimise their mistakes and make good use of their height.

"If we reduce our mistakes and make use of blocks, attacks and take advantage of our height then we will easily beat Japan. Our aim is to not only win a set but also the match,"  she said. 

Kasaya added: "It's true we are facing quality opposition in the pool but we trust in our abilities. There's no better place to showcase your talent than in the Olympics — a dream come true for every player."

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