…Mountain Kingdom becomes first country to host a full complement of the CAVB Zone VI championships
Lebohang Tsatsi
THABA-BOSIU, Lesotho – The Mountain Kingdom has made history by being the first country to host a full complement of 24 men and women volleyball teams from 10 countries for the Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) Zone VI Club Championship 2023.
Lesotho is hosting Angola, Botswana, eSwatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe at the Lesotho Wool Centre, in Thaba-Bosiu.
The tournament is running under the theme: Unite, Rise and Build.
The tournament, which started on Friday, was officially opened on Saturday by sports minister Motlatsi Maqelepo. It ends on Sunday.
Minister hails CAVB Zone VI for awarding Lesotho the hosting rights
Maqelepo expressed his gratitude to the CAVB Zone VI for entrusting Lesotho with organising and hosting one of the biggest zonal tournaments with over 1 500 participants and guests.
“I would like to thank the CABV Zone VI for entrusting our country with hosting one of the biggest volleyball events. I admire their work and I am optimistic that we will have a successful cooperation,” Maqelepo said.
Many sportsmen and women have continued using sports as a vehicle for social change in fighting injustice, racism and to achieve conflict resolution and economic emancipation, he said.
Lesotho was leveraging on the volleyball championships to showcase sports, arts and culture while putting in place fundamental building blocks to commercialise the sport.
He called on the participating countries to invest more in sports and wished them success in their fixtures.
In the meantime, Lesotho Volleyball Association (LVA) president, Lehlohonolo Ncheke, thanked the CAVB for granting Lesotho the hosting rights for the tournament during the CAVB Zone VI annual general meeting (AGM) in Maputo Mozambique in 2021.
The ongoing tournament will also incorporate the CAVB Zone VI AGM presidents and representatives’ meeting from Friday to Sunday.
While Lesotho is yet to construct indoor courts, Ncheke said they were happy to use the Lesotho Wool Centre Hall, which had ample space.
CAVB Zone VI president congratulates Lesotho
On his part, CAVB Zone VI president, Khalid Cassam applauded Lesotho for successfully organising the tournament.
“On behalf of the federation, I would like to congratulate and praise all those who contributed immensely in the organisation of the tournament, more specifically, the Lesotho Volleyball Association, for its overall work,” he said.
“Ever since becoming the president, one of my dreams was granting an opportunity to all our member countries, and of course, now I can see the reality as Lesotho is hosting the event for the first time,” he added.
The teams have been placed in four pools of six and are playing in a round robin format where the top two sides will proceed to the quarter finals.
Read more on the subject
CAVB Zone VI impressed with club championships preps
More sports news from Africa News 24
UK-born Zimbabwean starlet Ndiweni makes Newcastle debut
Green Buffaloes of Zambia are the current defending champions in the men’s category, having been crowned the 2022 CAVB Zone VI Senior Club Champions in Maputo, Mozambique, Academia of Maputo got silver while University of Zimbabwe Wolves and Prison Leopards from Zambia became third and fourth respectively.
In the women’s category, Academia of Maputo are the reigning champions while Police VI from Botswana are the runners-up followed by Kamplits from South Africa and Prison Leopards from Zambia.
Since the opening day, the atmosphere at Thaba-Bosiu has been electric and visiting teams say they are pleased with the games.
