NATIONAL beach volleyball women teams start their Group 6 Africa Zone V Beach Volleyball Championship campaign by facing Uganda at Mbalamwezi Hotel in Dar es Salaam today.
The championship that serves as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics qualifying event, is scheduled to wind up January 12th this year. Other countries engaged are Kenya and Rwanda besides hosts Tanzania and Uganda.
Tanzania Amateur Volleyball Association (TAVA) general secretary, Alfred Selengia told the ‘africa-press’ in Dar es Salaam yesterday that preparation has been finalised for the tournament to take place.
He said that Kenyan teams were first to arrive in the city on Wednesday as Tanzania’s opponents Uganda and Rwanda were due to arrive yesterday evening.
Selengia stressed that the two national women’s teams that have been in intensive training at Mbalamwezi since December 27, 2019 are in a good shape ready for the big battle.
The teams’ members include first team Jonia Jovin who will pair with Evelyn Albert and second team Hellen Richard and Beatrice Soka were under coach Selengia himself.
He noted that the team concluded their training programme on Wednesday and yesterday were given day-break before entering to the real business against Uganda today.
Rwanda and Kenya will face each other in the second match.
“Everything is going well so far, we do not have any injury and all looking forward for the challenge ahead,” he stated.
Selengia added that with the training they have and time spent with them, there are hopes that they will fight for the title and sail to the second round.
“They are very committed and determined to insure they finish top and follow their brother’s footstep,” he stated.
He said that both players are talented with international experience so they know what it takes to fight for the title.
Tanzanian men teams’ pair of Neeke David and Ford Edward who form the first team and Shukuru Ally who paired with Alhaji Said impressed to finish at the top at the tournament held in Entebbe, Uganda last December.
They have sailed through to second round joined by Kenyan who finished second. He appealed for many local sports fans to come in big number to cheer up the national teams.
