At 17y old Ahly’s middle blocker Maraiam Metwally shined at the 2015 Women’s African Club Championship and gained two individual prizes at the end of the competition as she was selected as the competition best blocker and then few minutes later she was surprised to be also the competition Most Valuable Player “MVP” before she was crowned with her first ever African title.
The Egyptian youngster was out of the main line up as Ahly had two experienced centers Ingy Elshami who played for the national team for more than 10 years and Nermeen Elmenshawy, who was one of the line up represented Egypt in the first ever Youth Olympic Games in Singapore 2010.
Mariam already started the competition as a substitute to Ingy and Nermeen, but when the first was injured in her right knee, she replaced her in the first match against GSP of Algeria where she was a key factor in the 3-1 victory that secured the top of Pool B in the preliminary round.
Later Nermeen was knee injured also in the semifinal against Carthage of Tunisia when Ahly won hardly 3-2 in exciting tiebreaker due to the efforts of the young center who was the only middle blocker remaining in the line up.
In the semifinal Metwally scored 26 points as the match best scorer including 6 kill blocks and 5 ace services as Ahly coach had to use his substitute opposite Rana Elgohary as a second center in the court.
Again in the final the promising star played more active role in blocking and serving helping her team to claim the first gold medal since 2009 to equalise the record of Kenya Pipeline who had also 7 crowns under their name. Ahly took over Kenya Pipeline 3-1 (25-16, 23-25, 25-20, 28-26) in the final for their 7th title.
Ahly youngster had difficult time in her childhood when she lost her mother at the age of 10 years, but at that time she started her challenge to make her mother’s dream of being a great volleyball player alive. She started volleyball at the age of 9, but quickly she showed her talent as a middle blocker who had a good timing and improvement ability.
Early this season Mariam helped her team to claim the Egyptian league title for the 38th time after a great victory over their compatriots Shams who eventually finished the African championship at the 4th position.
other individual prizes are Best Spiker: Ruth Jepngetich (Pipeline) who was slected as best spiker. The best Server was Marwa Brahoumi (Carthage), the best Receiver, Nehal Gamal (Shams), the best Setter, Janet Wanja (Kenya Pipeline), the best Libero: Maraim Moustafa (Ahly).
Women’s African club championship’s Individual Prizes
· Best Spiker: Ruth Jepngetich (Pipeline)
· Best Server: Marwa Brahoumi (Carthage)
· Best Blocker: Maraim Metwally (Ahly)
· Best Receiver: Nehal Gamal (Shams)
· Best Setter: Janet Wanja (Pipeline)
· Best Libero: Maraim Moustafa (Ahly)
· MVP: Maraim Metwally (Ahly)
Final Ranking
1. Ahly (Egypt)
2. Pipeline (Kenya)
3. Carthage (Tunisia)
4. Shams (Egypt)
5. GSP (Algeria)
6. RRA (Rwanda)
7. Vision (Uganda)
8. FAP (Cameroon)
9. ARSU (Seychelles)
10. Injis (Cameroon)
11. KCB (Kenya)
12. Kutlwano (Botswana)
13. Saltigue (Senegal)
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