Telkom Orange aim at winning African hockey title

By Kennedy Langat

Defending champions Telkom Orange will be aiming to win the African hockey title for the ninth time when they take part in this year’s continental event scheduled to start Saturday at the City park here in Nairobi. 

Exchequers of Ghana will face Weather Head of Nigeria in the men’s opening match tomorrow morning while Sharkia of Egypt take on Kenya’s Butali Warriors in the women’s opener.

The 27th edition of the African hockey club championships that has attracted a total of 19 clubs will start  at the City park here in Nairobi.

Kenya will be represented by four teams including Continental champions Telkom Orange, Sliders, Kenya Police and Butali Warriors.

Telkom Orange women’s team is in pool ‘A’ together with their Compatriots Sliders. Other teams in the group includes, Sharkia of Egypt, Uganda’s Waetherhead and El-Raufai babes from Nigeria.  Pool ‘B’ is made up of Ghana Police  who will be seeking to improve on their last year’s second-place finish, Ghana revenue Authority, Heartland Flickers of Nigeria, Tanzania Club and Wanachi Women from Uganda.

In the men’s Competition Kenya Police is in group ‘A’ alongside defending champions Eastern Company from Egypt, Exchequers from Ghana who return to the continental after many years of absence, Wananchi Men and Weather Head both from Uganda.

Group ‘B’ has Kenya’s Butali Warriors, Ghana Police, Niger Flickers and Sharkia from Egypt.

Since winning the first title in 1995 in Accra, Ghana, Telkom Orange have dominated the continental stage. In 2009, they beat Sliders 2-1 in all-Kenyan final at City Park Stadium, having also won it at home in 2006.