Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) secretary general, Wycliffe Ongori, is optimistic about a successful campaign in the African Hockey Road to Paris 2024 after gaining valuable insights during their previous tournament in Ghana.
In the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, Kenya's men's team secured a respectable fourth-place finish, while the women's team clinched the third position, earning a well-deserved bronze medal.
Reflecting on their experience in Ghana last January, Ongori emphasized the lessons learned that could significantly enhance the team's performance.
"We are anticipating a strong showing this time around, armed with the valuable lessons we acquired in Ghana. Our aim is to secure a podium finish for both teams, with the women's team setting their sights on at least a silver medal," Ongori expressed.
Furthermore, Ongori disclosed that the team rosters have been narrowed down to 25 players for each gender, with the federation intending to finalise the squads by mid-October.
The competition is scheduled to take place from October 29 to November 5 this year in Pretoria, South Africa, featuring eight men's teams and seven women's teams.
Leading the charge for the men's team will be Fidhelis Kimanzi and Micheal Malungu, while Meshak Senge and Rose Mbulo will assume leadership roles for the women's team.
The tournament's opening matches will see the men's team facing Egypt, while the women's team is set to compete against Zambia on the tournament's first day.
Additionally, Kenya will be well-represented among the officials for the African Road to Paris 2024, with four Kenyan officials featured on the list released by the Africa Hockey Federation.
Notable names include Yajuk Shiraz, who will serve as one of the two umpire managers, Koloni Carren as a technical official, and Peter Obalo and Charity Majimbo as national umpires.
The list comprises a total of 35 technical panel members who will oversee the event's proceedings.
