Miramas, France — When Malkia Strikers celebrated the birthday of their assistant captain Edith Wisa, it was an opportunity for the team to reflect on her sweat, tears, and the triumphs she experienced on her journey to success.
Her birthday wishes could not have come at a better time when the team's middle blocker is bracing up for her second career Olympic Games.
In the early morning bus en-route to their training base at Saint Suspi College School in Miramas, her teammates sung birthday songs to appreciate an athlete who inspires countless others with her unwavering focus to push beyond their limits.
On Wisa's special day (July 20, 2024), she was truly flattered by a gesture that not only marked her birthday in Miramas but the hard work and sacrifices she always makes to excel in her chosen field.
-Simultaneity Of Birthdays--
Wisa, the KCB Volleyball skipper says it feels nice to always celebrate her birthdays in sporting atmospheres, as every time she marks her birth-month, she is always performing duties for the national team.
Wisa celebrated her 2021 birthday coincidentally at Team Kenya's Tokyo 2020 pre-Olympics camp in Kurume City, despite stringent Covid-19 restrictions which culminated into the most significant disruption to the worldwide sporting calendar since World War II, including postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
In 2024, Wisa wrapped up her pre-Olympics high-performance training in Miramas with birthday wishes!
Commenting on her rare birthday experience in Miramas, Wisa responded: "First of all, I thank God for this day. Being my birthday is a special day for me especially on our last day in training in Miramas. I celebrated my birthday in Tokyo 2020 and then here I am in France receiving birthday wishes from friends and family."
She recounted: "Almost all my birthdays find me in the national team, so my family gets to celebrate together each and every time; and I'm happy to be in the team as that is where I spent most of my time."
-Inspiring Junior players--
"And seeing my teammates singing for me happy birthday songs took me by surprise, although they had already wished me with text messages earlier. July being my birth-month, I would like to perform well in Paris and I would like to go out there, play my heart out; fight tooth and nail, better than I did before," said Wisa, who turned 30 years.
Wisa is among the team's most experienced players and being the assistant skipper, she bears a huge responsibility to guide the junior players, most of whom have never seen the Olympics village.
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She added: "It's the first time for most players; so, having not been there, they don't know what to expect. Therefore, we have to encourage them and tell them that it's just like any other competition where they'll meet the same teams that they've met in the World Championships and in the Challenge Cup. It's just to let them not tense much and just do their best," Wisa, a Lugulu Girls High School alumni told Capital Sport from Miramas.
Wisa goes on to reveal that Miramas has been a good experience, getting ample time needed for training.
"Each player is ready for the task ahead and even as we culminate our training here, we continue to focus. We've acclimatized well and I know that we are going to do better."
Malkia Strikers will arrive at the games' village on Monday, July 22, and for Wisa- on her second Olympic Games-it's a welcome idea to also enjoy off-the-court experience.
Wisa: "This time, we will have time to interact because in Tokyo there were a lot of restrictions and we could not go and cheer other Kenyan teams when they were playing."
"This time, with no social gathering restrictions, we hope to support our Kenyan athletes when we are not playing; and we have them reciprocate when we play. We will also find time to interact with people from other countries including some of the world's renowned athletes we will meet at the village."
-Alex Isaboke is reporting from Miramas, France -
