NAIROBI, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Kenya will have two teams, General Service Unit (GSU) and Prisons competing at this year's Africa Men's Volleyball Club Championships, which starts on Tuesday in Cairo, Egypt.
The tourney has attracted 22 teams from 14 African states and runs from April 2 to 14.
Confederation of Africa Volleyball (CAVB) president Amr Elwani confirmed on Monday that 22 teams will be battling out for the bragging rights for the continent's premier men's club championships. No Kenyan team has won the Africa tournament before.
Kenyan champions GSU hope to break this jinx and win their first title this year. The best finish the team has ever had was third place at the 2005 Africa Club Championship in Benin.
However, Team manager, Nicholas Kimeli hopes the end is near and warned North African clubs, who have dominated the tournament since its inception in 1980, to expect a rough ride this time round.
"We are taking no prisoners in our seizure of the championship. It might seem as a far-fetched ambition but this time, we are going all the way. Our target is to be at the podium," said Kimeli on Monday in Nairobi.
CAVB president Elwani said the men's African Volleyball Club Championship will see record holders and reigning champions Al-Ahly of Egypt defend their title against 22 teams across the continent.
"We have a record number of teams and this shows how far the sport has developed. There is more interest across the continent and we hope to build on this to go on and dominate at the global stage," said Elwani.
Champions Al-Ahly are seeded in Pool A during the tournament's drawing of lot held Sunday in Cairo.
Among the 22 teams to participate Al Ahly have won the coveted title more times, and will be under pressure to defend the title before their own fans.
Other teams in Pool A are AS INJS (Ivory Coast), Police (Botswana), Mugher (Ethiopia) and Tripoli Ahly (Libya).
Pool B has Egypt's Smouha, Gisagare (Rwanda), Christian (Uganda), Gendemarie (Madagascar) and El Etihad (Libya). Pool C has Libya's Swehly, Rukinzo (Burundi), Wolaita (Ethiopia), Prisons (Kenya), VC Espoir (Congo) and FAP (Cameroon).
Pool D has Kenya's champs GSU, University of Zimbabwe, AS FAG (Guinea), Mwangaza (Congo), Nemo Stars (Uganda) and Asaria (Libya).
The men's club championship started in 1980 and had nine previous champions led by Egypt's Al-Ahly who have won 13 times.
