Mercy Moim will lead newly-promoted Kenya in FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix Group 2 after scoring 127 points for coach David Lungaho’s team in last year’s edition of the three-tier competition.
The Group 2 competition aims to provide the winning team a chance to climb the ranks through performance excellence and gain promotion to top-level Group 1, which includes a bevy of multi-titled squads.
The preliminary round will be played out in two weeks from June 3 to 12, with Tucuman, Argentina and Zielona Gora, Poland hosting matches on the first week; and Olomouc, Czech Republic and Wloclawek, Poland hosting matches on the second week.
The World Grand Prix cast for Group 2 is led by world No. 7 Dominican Republic and will be challenged by several top 20 squads like Argentina, Puerto Rico, Canada, Kenya and Bulgaria; and by a seasoned squad like Poland and an emerging European team the Czech Republic.
Among the top stars in Group 2 are the Dominican Republic’s Prisilla Rivera Brens and Gina Altagracia Mambru Casilla, will intensify the action, while their superstar libero Brenda Castillo will be key in defence. Fellow NORCECA competitors Puerto Rico will bank on Karina Ocasio’s scoring flair, while Canada will rely on Tabitha Love and Lucille Charuk.
South American side Argentina and African squad Kenya further boosted their mileage after last year’s World Grand Prix, as they also saw action at the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Cup. Argentina will be bannered by a talented bunch of veterans including Paula Yamila Nizetich, Emilce Sosa and Yael Castiglione, while the remarkable Mercy Moim will lead Kenya.
European sides the Czech Republic and Poland will utilise their top scorers to fortify their respective bids this year. The Czech Republic’s Michaela Mlejnkova and Helena Havelkova and Poland’s Anna Grejman and Tamara Kaliszuk are expected to step up.
Meanwhile, Bulgaria will put their best players Eva Yaneva, Yuliya Stoyanova and Mira Todoroa in the forefront of their offence as they host the Group 3 Final Four in Plovdiv Bulgaria on June 18 to 19.
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