7 News Belize

Belize Gets Off to Bumpy Start in CA Volleyball Championship
posted (August 16, 2019)
Sports fans, get ready for high-energy fun this weekend.

The 19th Central American Men and Women's Beach Volleyball Championship kicked off Today at Old Belize's Kukumba Beach.

Six Central American countries are competing for the gold. Belize is fielding three teams they're counting on your support to raise their morale and land them on the podium. We visited today and saw them in action.

Micheal Jenkins, PLAYER, team #2 Belize
"It's the 19th Central American beach senior championships so all Central American countries are here except Panama. Most countries have sent two teams for both categories: male and female. As you can see games are being played simultaneously on both courts. Belize, we have our two male teams team 1 and team 2 and one female team and we're already trying our best to keep the medal here in Belize."

Allan Sharp, President, Volleyball Association.
"Well we started this morning. We have all the central American countries here except Panama who couldn't come as a last minute pull out due to finances. Other than that we have nine female teams and ten male teams."

"Our girls have alot of experience they have unfortunately not been able to practice as long as they boys have so they are going to have to overcome that challenge but they have experience, they know what to do."

"Our team is being prepared by an excellent coach from Cuba. our males in particular have been preparing since February and last year with even a previous Cuban coach unfortunately we mix up indoor and beach unlike most of these players here who are strictly beach players year round. Some of them are just beach players that's all they do throughout the year country to country playing in beach volleyball competitions. That said we feel like we have a strong chance again the males have been preparing doing some international tournaments and a continental tour where we've done very well, so we look forward to them being able to perform here at home."

Micheal Jenkins, PLAYER, team #2 Belize
"It's old Belize It's nice weather, it's the beach. Beach volleyball is a fun sport. It's a very fast paced sport and I mean support your Belizean athletes. We're out here trying our best to represent the country and I mean the support and everything from the crowd really helped this morning our game against Honduras and the guy's game against Honduras as well the crowd really helped us to push and fight hard. So tomorrow if it's a bigger crowd it will help a lot more and tomorrow both teams have two games again so you won't miss anything and there are more games again tomorrow and Sunday as well because Sunday is the finals."

Regrettably, today wasn't good at all for Belize. Honduras's males defeated Belize in three sets in the first match of the day. And then in female play, Nicaragua defaced Belize in two sets. And then Nicaragua's males defeated Belize in two sets as well.

But, hope springs anew tomorrow, and the entrance fee for a full day of international beach volleyball action is $10.

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize