Zim eye Olympics beach volleyball

ZIMBABWE might not be endowed with beaches, but the country has beach volleyball players that are good enough to qualify for the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

That is the view of national coach Kudzai Sibangane. He is expected to name his team for the African Volleyball Confederation sub-zonal continental cup qualifiers, which also serve as the Olympic qualifier in Samfya, Zambia.

The tournament is slated for November 30 to December 4 and it will also feature Angola, Namibia and the hosts.

“We will announce our team on Monday, as we go a notch up with our preparations for the big and crucial tournament. I am confident our chances are high, we have good players with great potential,” said Sibangane.

The top two teams will progress to the second round of qualification. Sibangane is optimistic that Zimbabwe will be one of the two.

“Angola are our biggest challenge. They are a very good side and we simply need to be tactful and creative when we face them.

“We obviously cannot underestimate our opponents. There is no room for complacency.

“We have been active and did our best in preparation, hence we should be confident,” he said. Meanwhile, University of Zimbabwe Wolves and Harare City have intensified their preparations for this year’s edition of the Confederation of African Volleyball Zone 6 competition. That tournament, scheduled for December 14 to 22 in Lilongwe, Malawi, will see the two clubs being represented by men and women’s teams.

The teams booked their spots during the 2018 Volleyball National League.

They will regroup next week.

Harare City chairman, Godknows Jembere, revealed that despite significant preparations, the Municipal side is still facing some financial challenges. “With three weeks left, the club has managed to cover a number of items on the checklist. However, we are still facing some financial challenges. We are inviting individuals and organisations to come in and assist,” said Jembere. “We have covered participation fees, the referees’ upkeep and submited the O2bis forms. Transport and accommodation is outstanding.” “The accommodation facilities are charging in United States dollars. In turn, the currency disparities are negatively affecting the municipality team’s budget. As a club, we are engaging the Municipality of Lilongwe, through our protocols division, to find a possible solution to this challenge,” said Jembere.

UZ Wolves club manager Norest Matambanadzo said their preparations are on course, although sponsorship also remains a challenge.