Coach Optimistic Over London 2012 Beach V/Ball Ticket

The Head Coach of the national beach
volleyball team , Ismail Charkuma, has declared that the country will clinch a
ticket at the Beach Volleyball World Cup Olympics Qualification Tournament.
Charkuma told newsmen  in Lagos
earlier in the week that his confidence was based on the quality of players the
team had.

The Federation of International Volleyball
(FIVB) sanctioned competition is scheduled to hold from June 27 to July 1 in
Tortoli, Italy.
“We will not disappoint the country, we will go there to show to the
world that Nigerian athletes are good in the sport,’’ he said.

He saod that his players would bring their
experience from previous competitions to bear on the Olympic qualifiers, and
added that the players would not disappoint the country.

“The players did well at the continental
competition but we still have one more competition to qualify us for the Olympics.

The country’s beach volleyball team came
third at the continental event, which held from April 11 to April 15 in
Mauritius.

Nigeria defeated Congo Brazzaville to book
a ticket for the final round of the Olympic qualifiers in Italy.

Charkuma added that the country’s flag at
the qualifiers would be flown by Goodluck Anyasodike, Osas Omoreghe, Isaac
Igigba and AbdulAzeez Adamu.

Meanwhile Anyasodike, one of the
Tortoli-bound players, said that he was very confident on their chances of
clinching a ticket at the qualifiers for the country.

“I know that we will not lose this chance
given to us to ensure that we qualify for the Olympics, and my team mates and I
have been training hard.

“We will build on the momentum we generated
from the CAVB Beach volleyball Continental tournament where we emerged in the
third position.

“That competition has helped to sharpen our
competitive edge for more challenges ahead.

“We will also pray for luck because
training and luck works together,’’ he said.