The head coach of Nigeria beach volleyball teams, Francis Imoudu has released a four-man squad for the 2023 African Games Beach Volleyball Qualifiers in Ghana.
The players and coaching crew will depart Nigeria to Accra on Wednesday January 17 to battle for a ticket to the 13th African Games scheduled for March 8 to 23 in Ghana.
The pair of Hilary Simon and Obayemi Ogunshina will represent Nigeria in the men’s event while Esther Mbah and Pamela Bawa will feature in the women’s category.
Imoudu said they are poised to pick a ticket to African Games as well as make the country proud.
He said the players selected have what it takes to rub shoulders with their opponents from other West African countries.
“We have never miss the Africa Games since the beach volleyball event came on board. We are assuring the country that we are coming back with a medal.
“The medical team has been up to the task, so we don’t have the AFCON experience. In any sport in Africa, the Arab world is always a threat, so we are weary of them,” he said.
Captain of the men’s beach volleyball team, Hilary Simon promised not to let the country down at the qualifiers.
Simon said, “All our players in camp are exposed, with the support we are getting, we believe all will go well. The President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engineer Musa Nimrod put all things in place and we look forward to making Nigeria proud.”
Meanwhile, the President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engineer Musa Nimrod expressed confidence in the team to qualify for the African Games.
He said, “I strongly believe these crops of players will qualify the country for the Games proper. When they come from Ghana, they would all come back to camp, including the indoor volleyball teams.
Nimrod added: “This time Nigeria wants to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. After going to Ghana, we are planning to see how they would go for International tours and Morocco or Egypt will be better for the tour.
Commenting on funding of the teams, he explained, “The Federation is responsible until the teams are qualified for international competitions, before the Federal Ministry of Sports Development takes over”.