Egypt women’s volleyball team deserve to face the best, says Mariam Metwally

Egypt’s women’s volleyball team have earned the right to compete against the world’s leading sides, according to player Mariam Metwally, after winning the African Nations Championship and securing a historic place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Egypt defeated hosts Kenya in the final to claim the continental title, with Kenya ranked as the number one team in Africa. The Olympic qualification is the first in Egypt’s history in women’s volleyball.

Metwally said the strength of Egypt’s squad had grown significantly, with competition for places increasing across the team.

“We are a complete team and we have more than one player in every position,” she told Modern channel. “More than one player has also played professionally during the past period, while competition in the league has become stronger. That means we now play tough matches throughout the year.”

She believes Egypt’s performances against leading opponents have shown they are capable of competing at the highest level.

“I think we deserve to play against the best teams,” Metwally added. “When we play friendly matches, we perform very well. When we lose, it is because of small details or a lack of experience.”

Before the African Championship, Egypt had set itself the target of reaching at least the final after a series of disappointments in previous tournaments.

“Before the African Championship, we felt that we had to reach the final at least,” said Metwally. “We had lost a lot and said that this time we had to win.”

Her team-mate Nada Moawad said she became convinced Egypt would win the competition after their match against Tunisia.

“At the beginning, we needed time to settle into the matches,” Moawad said. “But after the knockout stages, I saw that we were better in all the technical and psychological aspects, so I said that this team would win the title.”

Moawad admitted the final brought considerable pressure, particularly because it was played in Kenya and in front of a large home crowd.

“We were worried because we were playing Kenya in their own stadium,” she said. “Kenya had won the title the last 10 times. We had reached the final once before and lost, and we had also lost in a semi-final. I did not want to feel that disappointment again.”

She described an intimidating atmosphere inside the venue, saying the size and noise of the crowd made communication difficult for the Egyptian players.

“We were surprised by the number of Kenyan supporters in the arena,” Moawad said. “We saw people sitting on the barriers and sharing the same seats. We could not hear each other, and there were many whistles that sounded like the referee’s whistle. Even during the national anthem, there were whistles and a great deal of noise.”

Moawad also alleged that Egypt faced several organisational problems during the tournament in Kenya. She said training schedules were disrupted, buses arrived late and the team was once taken to an unsuitable asphalt court.

“We faced several difficulties throughout the tournament in Kenya, involving training times and delayed buses,” she said. “On one occasion, we trained in an asphalt arena that was not suitable for volleyball or even running because you could get injured. On another occasion, the bus driver stopped and refused to move until he was given money.”

Egypt’s victory over Kenya completed a landmark tournament for the side, combining their African title with qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.