Tanzania Mainland teams are in upbeat mood, ahead of the maiden Mapinduzi Beach Volleyball tournament to be held in Zanzibar from January 7-12 this year.
The first ever Mapinduzi Beach Volleyball tournament will feature both men’s and women’s teams from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania Mainland and hosts Zanzibar.
The Tanzania Volleyball Association (TVA) Chairman Augustine Agape, told the ‘Daily New on Saturday’ in Dar es Salaam that all is set for the prestigious tournament thanks to the Zanzibar government who invited them this year.
“This is first time that Zanzibar invited us to play at the tournament and we are very grateful for them,” he said. Agape added that each country will enter two teams’ men and women with two players each to the tournament.
He named those who will make the Mainland team are Fred Shangama and Mathias Mayala in men’s category while Helena Mwinyigoha and Ester Noel will battle it out at the women’s category.
Agape said that the Dar es Salaam Amateur Volleyball Association (DAVA) Chairman Silaju Mwasha will be the team head of delegation for the tournament.
He said that the teams are in good shape ready for the big battle against tough Uganda and Kenya teams after undergoing training for a month now.
“We expect good competition with the training we had, of course we are nervous because it’s first tournament, but we are ready for anything,” he said.
Beach Volleyball will be among sports that are lined up to mark 50 years of Zanzibar Revolution to be celebrated on 12th January, this year.
By MBONILE BURTON, Tanzania Daily News
