) Nigeria’s beach volleyball duo, Joy Lawrence and Ifechukwu Odoh, began their campaign strongly on Monday at the Beach Volleyball Youth Development Championship in Saly, Senegal.
Competing in the Under-18 category, the Nigerian pair secured two convincing victories against Gambia and Cape Verde on the opening day.
Lawrence and Odoh first defeated Gambia 2-0 in a dominant display, winning their sets 21-9 and 21-13.
The Nigerians maintained their momentum in the second match, overpowering Cape Verde 2-0 with emphatic set victories of 21-7 and 21-3.
The victories placed the duo in a strong position as they seek to advance further in the championship and gain international competitive exposure.
Speaking before the competition, Nigeria’s coach, John Iwerima, expressed confidence in the team’s preparations and determination to represent the country positively.
“Our target is to make Nigeria proud and gain valuable experience that will help us at the Youth Olympic Games.
“We want the players to compete strongly, learn from every match and continue to improve,” he said.
Iwerima noted that the championship provides an important platform for the young athletes to test themselves against quality opposition from across Africa.
He said the experience gained in Senegal would contribute significantly to their technical development and readiness for future international tournaments.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Beach Volleyball Youth Development Championship began on Saturday, Aug. 8, in Saly, Senegal.
The competition is expected to end on Friday, Aug. 14, bringing together emerging beach volleyball talents from several African countries.
Nigeria’s impressive opening-day performances have boosted hopes of a successful outing as the tournament progresses. (NAN)
