Beach Volleyball: Nigeria gets wild card for Qatar championships

For its consistency in the last few years coupled with the performance of her athletes’ at most international competitions, the Nigeria Volleyball Federation got a wild card from the Qatar Volleyball Association to compete at this year’s Katara Beach Volleyball Cup, National Daily gathered.

Top Beach volleyball players like Jefferson Bellaguarda (Brazil), Kay Matysik (Germany), Phil Dalhausser (USA) and Todd Rogers (USA) will star in the extravaganza to be organised inside Katara Amphitheatre, Qatar, from 12th to 16th March, 2019.

Nigeria is the only Africa team invited for the four-star event the FIVB has allotted in the Middle East.

The head coach of the beach volleyball team, Francis Imoudu said Nigeria will put up a good performance at the event.

He stated that Ogunshina Obayemi and Hilary Simon will fly the colours of Nigeria in Qatar.

Imoudu said, “It is a rare privilege for Nigeria to be the only African side at this four star championship.

I want to assure Nigerians including the President of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engineer Musa Nimrod that we are going to put up a good performance and also score points for the FIVB ratings, National Daily learnt.

“This invitational championship will also prepare the boys for the busy 2019 calendar”.

He said the invitational championship was made possible by the efforts of the NVBF President and immediate past president NVBF, Engineer Habu Gumel.

He said, “Nigeria has never participated in an FIVB Beach tour, this is the first time and we are the only Africa team in an entry of over forty countries. What a privilege for the boys, all due to the positive hand work of the President and Engineer Habu Gumel who sits on the FIVB board”.

The championship is the second of the 10 competition called FIVB 4stars to be organised during the 2019 season by the International Volleyball Federation worldwide.

The competition in Doha will see the participation of 56 teams from 28 different countries

In the main draw, the world’s top 14 out of 16 teams will be contesting for the title, which shows the value of the event.