Kenya Para volleyball team have shifted focus to the World Para Volleyball Championships in Cairo, Egypt after the cancellation of the Para Africa Games earlier set for next month in Accra, Ghana.
Kenya's Sitting Volleyball organizing secretary, Joseph Ochieng, described the move to cancel Para Africa Games as a big blow to the federation and the players.
He said the players were already in the camp in preparation for the games earlier planned for September 1-13.
Ochieng said with Africa show now a dead deal, they have set their minds on the World Championships, which will be a direct qualification for the Paralympics set for next year in Paris, France.
“Para-Africa Games Local Organizing Committee should have thought twice before canceling the games. This will not only affect us but also our colleagues in the continent," Ochieng said.
He said they have already broken the team camp and will resume on August 22 in readiness for the Cairo show.
" The players will train for a month before we trim the team from 36 to 14 in each gender,” said Ochieng.
He appealed to the government to use the money they had set aside for the Ghana trip to organise friendly matches as a build-up for World Championships.
He said just like Malkia Strikers traveled to France to play some friendlies ahead of Africa Championships, they also need a similar build-up trip before the World Championships.
"We can secure friendly matches against Zimbabwe and Nigeria and this will be very useful," he noted.
He also requested the Ministry of Sports to support their efforts as they seek to qualify for the Paralympic Games.
Kenya was also supposed to be represented by Amputee football, wheelchair basketball, and wheelchair tennis.