Hopes rise in Olympic volleyball camp

Prompt arrival for camping,firm adaptation to training regimes and strict adherence to camp rules have brought renewed hope of Nigerian women's qualification for Athens Olympic volleyball event.    The team which reluctantly surrendered Africa's
sole ticket to Kenya late 2003 is back in camp
building up to next month's competition in Japan,that
affords teams which narrowly missed out from their
zones,last chance of securing a berth to the games in
Athens.

   Spokesman for the Nigeria Volleyball
Federation[NVBF] Boye Ajayi told nigeriasports.com
that activities at the camp in  Benin City have been
reassuring since beginning of the week.

   "Virtually all the 20 invited players, excludig
Ladi Iya who is based in England, have reported to
camp,"he disclosed."The players have on daily basis
exhibited a greater degree of commitment and
determination to make history for themselves and the
country."

    Some of the players in camp include Captain
Chinyere Onuoha,Esther Dusu,Priscilla Agera,Mariam
Garba,Bunmi Adegbenjo,Sheilla Athekame,Ladi
Jalmet,Lydia Ajik,Rosemary Jibunoh and Christy Amadi.

   The Tony Ogumah-led coaching crew was said to be
extremely delighted by the enthusiasm showed by the
girls whose number would soon be pruned down to 12 in
compliance with regulation of the International
Volleyball Federation[FIVB].

   The Nigerian squad is expected to depart Lagos for
Tokyo on May 4 for the competition which holds from
May 8-16.

   "The federation has arranged a number of warm-up
matches for the team to perfect their strategies
before they leave for Japan.And these matches areb
basically against local clubs,"said Ajayi.

    Chinese Taipei,Italy,Korea,Puero
Rico,Russia,Thailand and hosts Japan are other
countries taking part in the 8-nation tournament to be
played on round-robin basis.

    The four top finishers will join Brazil,China,Cuba,Dominican
Republic,Germany,Greece,Kenya and the United States in the Olympics proper.

    By Dipo Okubanjo              
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