ZIMBABWE’S Under-19 beach volleyball teams are making waves at the African Union Sports Council Region 5 (AUSC R-5) Games, with both the men’s and women’s squads securing spots in the semifinals after impressive pool play performances.
The men’s duo, Lovelage Sango from Allan Wilson High and Tafadzwa Matibhini of Kutama, have been unstoppable, maintaining a perfect winning record.
They kicked off their campaign on Thursday with identical 2-0 victories against Malawi and hosts Namibia.
This winning streak continued into day two, as they swept past South Africa and Botswana with 2-0 wins, ultimately topping Pool A.
Their semifinal clash will be against Malawi, while South Africa faces Namibia in the other men’s semi.
The women’s team also showcased strong form, suffering only one loss — a 2-0 defeat to Angola.
However, Anna Marova from Msengezi High and Nokutenda Purazeni from Rusununguko were dominant against Namibia and South Africa, beating both 2-0.
They are now set to negotiate a challenging semifinal against Lesotho, hoping to secure a spot in the final.
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The other women’s semifinal features Mozambique against Malawi.
The Zimbabwean teams’ strong performance in the round-robin stage has set them up for a podium finish.
The men’s team will be looking to extend their winning streak, while the women aim to overcome Lesotho and reach the final.
Zimbabwe Volleyball Association (ZVA) secretary-general Priestledge Nhamburo expressed immense satisfaction with the teams’ display.
“As ZVA, we are immensely satisfied with the beach volleyball teams’ display of hard work, resilience and determination in their aim for gold, which is a testament to the hard work put in by the athletes, our coaches, and all support staff,” Nhamburo told NewsDay Sport.
“They have so far represented Zimbabwe with passion and excellence on the sand.”
He added: “Looking ahead to the critical semi-final matches, we know the competition will be tough, but the teams are ready for the challenge.
“Let us all, both in Namibia and in Zimbabwe, rally behind them as they push for a spot in the finals in their aim for gold.
“Their journey so far has been inspiring and we have full confidence in their ability to continue making us proud. We appreciate the sponsors, the schools, the parents, and all for their support.”
Zimbabwe is participating in 13 sports codes at the AUSC R-5 Games.
Following a fourth-place finish at the last edition, Sport permanent secretary Nicholas Moyo has challenged the team to achieve a podium finish this time around.
“We are going out there, battling with nine other countries, cognisant that Zimbabwe is placed number four in our youth games,” he said.
“And our target is to come back at least having improved. And that means being number three or being number two or being number one.”
