Stories by Albert Akota
Nigeria women’s beach volleyball team has won the country’s first gold medal in 2020 by winning the Camtel International Beach Volleyball Championship for the second consecutive year.
The duo of Francisca Francisca Ikhiede and Amarachi Kelechuku defeated South America champions, Brazil 2-0 (21-15, 21-18) in the women’s final.
The team came back from a set down to beat highly rated Morocco in the semi finals 2-1(17-21, 21-14, 15-10).
Nigeria men’s beach volleyball team also settled for Bronze medal after beating host Cameroon 2-1 (21:15, 19:21,15:13)
An elated John Iwerima commended his players for their dogedness and strong will shown in the final against Brazil.
He dedicated the trophy to volleyball enthusiasts in Nigeria, coaches and the President NVBF for his support and encouragement.
Iwerima stated that the players are motivated to join the remaining team in the quest to qualify Nigeria in the beach volleyball event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
He said, “I am short of words and cannot express myself because we had already been written off by the spectators and pundits. The win is a morale booster for us and it will help push the team for victory at the qualifiers in Ghana.
“The title is dedicated to the volleyball family and the board led by Engineer Musa Nimrod for his steadfastness and believe in Beach Volleyball. The next target for us is to qualify Nigeria for Tokyo Olympics”
Reacting to the victory, the President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engineer Musa Nimrod applauded the players for the feat recorded in Cameroon.
Nimrod charged the players to go to Ghana for the Olympics Qualifiers and make Nigeria proud.
He said, “Today is a day of joy for me because beach volleyball won the first gold medal for Nigeria in 2020. The girls have shown passion and zeal; the only way we can encourage them is to keep supporting them.
“The task before you now is to qualify Nigeria for the Tokyo Olympics whereby writing your names in Gold”.
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