Kenya is placed in pool B of the qualifiers with Zambia, Ghana and Namibia.
Veteran Blazers midfielder Caroline Guchu is among the players who have made it to the national women’s team, the Blades team that is set for the 2023 Women’s African Olympic Qualifiers.
Coach Meshack Senge included the long-serving midfielder in the final 18-man squad for the tournament that is scheduled for Pretoria, South Africa.
The tournament is scheduled to run between October 29 to November 5th.
Guchu has more than 50 caps for the national team and her experience will be highly counted on if the team is to punch ticket to the Olympic Games scheduled for next year in Paris, France.
She will enjoy the company of her teammates at Blazers including skipper Tracy Karanja, experienced defender Flavian Mutiva who has served the national team for quite some time now.
Goalkeeper Cynthia Akinyi, forward Maureen Okumu and Lucy Wangeci are also in the team. The six Blazers players were part of the Blades team that unsuccessfully sought to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Another Blazers player in Eleanor Chebet made it to the team so is last season’s top scorer Grace Bwire who is attached to Strathmore University Scorpions.
Kenya is placed in pool B of the qualifiers with Zambia, Ghana and Namibia.
The team will take on Zambia in the opening match before playing Ghana in the second group stage game. Namibia will be the last hurdle for Senge’s charges who will hope to be among the two top teams in the group so as to sail to the semifinals.
South Africa headline pool A that has Zimbabwe and Nigeria as well.
The winner of the tournament will join France, China who are the Asian champions, Netherlands (Euro Hockey Championships winner) and Australia (Oceania Cup Champions) in the Summer Olympics.
Team
Goalkeepers
Cynthia Akinyi, Milicent Adhiambo
Defenders
Mourine Owiti, Vivian Onyango, Lucy Wangeci,Diana Awino, Flavian Mutiva,Lyne Tamunai
Midfielders
Tracy Karanja, Caroline Guchu, Pauline Ochieng, Naom Kemunto, Mourine Achieng
Forwards
Eleanor Chebet, Grace Bwire,Alice Owiti,Aurelia Opondo, Maureen Okumu