Amos Abuga @PeopleSport11
National men’s hockey team head coach Meshack Senge remains optimistic after Kenya were pooled in Group A alongside holders South Africa for the August 12-18 Africa Hockey Road to Tokyo 2020 Olympics qualifiers in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Kenya, bronze winners from the 2015 Rio qualifiers held in Randburg, South Africa are eyeing a return to the Olympics for the first time since the 1988 Soul Games.Senge, who recently handed a list of 25 players to the Kenya Hockey Union selection committee, is awaiting feedback before he names his final 18 who will travel to South Africa.
“I have done my work. All we can do is wait to know the final squad which again should be announced a few days to departure,” Senge told People Sport yesterday.
“Training has been going on well in the last couple of months with players getting an opportunity to test themselves against top sides in the men’s Premier League,” he added. The national team will have another opportunity to gauge their level of preparedness in the Simba tournament from August 22.
“There are international teams coming from India and Pakistan. I feel my team needs such kind of atmosphere and matches ahead of the qualifiers,” added Senge.
Kenya men’s team, who have made seven appearances at the Olympics starting with the 1956 Games, have been struggling to return to the good old days but Senge believes they are close.“The team wants to rewrite history. I know north and south African sides have been dominant in recent times but we have an obligation to do better,” he said.
Besides South Africa, who have represented Africa in the last three Olympics, Kenya are also drawn with neighbours Uganda and Nigeria.
They will play their opening match against Uganda on August 12 before taking on South Africa two days later with the final preliminary match pitting Nigeria on August 15.
