National Under-18 Junior Wafalme secured a spot in the semis of the 2024 CAVB African Nations Championships after an impressive 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 26-24) victory over Rwanda.
The win marked a crucial turnaround for the team, who had earlier suffered a walkover loss to Tunisia and straight-set defeats to Egypt and Algeria.
Head coach Sila Makiso praised the team's resilience and growth throughout the championship.
"The boys have witnessed what other teams are doing. They are employing the techniques and models they picked along the way in addition to the preparations at hand," Makiso said.
He acknowledged the high standards set by Egypt and Tunisia and noted that the two are worth emulating.
Tunisia also secured a spot in the semifinals after defeating Morocco in straight sets 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-19). Makiso expressed gratitude for Kenya's hard-fought win and the team's advancement.
"We thank God for proceeding to the semifinals, which has not come easy. I hope the boys will carry on with the same zeal, if not more, as we look forward to flying the Kenyan flag high."
Looking ahead, Makiso said he is optimistic about Kenya's potential to represent Africa on a bigger stage.
"We have seen great improvements since the start of the event and we look forward to representing Africa in a big way."
Kenya face the Egyptian side once more in the semis. Their first encounter saw them lose 0-3 ( 15-25 . 13-25, 16-25 ) to the Pharaohs.
Hosts Tunisia will battle Algeria at the Al-Mashatel Hall and the winners' last four will book a final date on Saturday.
