The Sunday Mail
The Zimbabwe Under-21 Beach Volleyball men’s team coach, Nyashadzashe Takawira, has expressed confidence in his charges ahead of this week’s World Championships qualifiers in Mozambique.
The team is set to leave for Maputo on Tuesday for the Continental Cup, running from May 15-19, with the aim of making it to the World Championships in Larnaca, Cyprus, from July 22-27.
The Confederation of African Volleyball has divided the qualifiers into two tournaments with western, eastern and northern countries battling it out for a place at the World Championships, while the central and southern nations meet in Mozambique.
The top three finishers from both qualifiers will represent Africa in Cyprus and Takawira is optimistic Zimbabwe will be among those teams.
“We have got a strong team of Keith Machakaire from Churchill High School and young Collen Peters from Cornway College.
“I believe in them; they have got talent and skill to play at the top level.
“They can handle the pressure that comes with such tournaments and I am confident we will make it through,” he said.
The qualifiers come against the backdrop of the Zimbabwe U-23 team’s wild card entry to the World Championships in Poland after most African countries failed to confirm their participation in the Continental Cup in time.
Meanwhile, four local coaches passed the FIVB level one coaching course held in Swaziland last week, with Patricia Muzokomba and Kanyele Dhlamini becoming the country’s first female coaches to attain the level one certificate.
Donald Chademana and Milos Phiri are the other successful coaches.
