Police, ASFA win Senegambia Cup
By Cherno Omar Bobb
The Gambia Police Force male and felmale beach volleyball teams have won the 5th Edition of the Senegambia Beach Volleyball Championship.
They beat YMCA male beach volleyball team and The Gambia Armed Forces beach volleyball teams in the finals played at Palma Rima Beach on Saturday to lift both trophies.
As winners, they received gold medals and trophies while YMCA and GAF received silver medals respectively.
ASFA male and female volleyball teams went home with bronze medals for securing third position.
In the indoor volleyball category, ASFA male volleyball team won the trophy after beating YMCA 3-0 in the male final played at the Independence Stadium on Sunday.
ASFA received gold medals and a trophy while YMCA received silver medals.
Saltigue lifted the female category trophy after beating the Gambia Police Force Female volleyball team on the same day.
Saltigue were awarded gold medals and a trophy, while Police received silver medals.
Individual prizes sponsored by Dig Deep Foundation were awarded to deserving players.
Speaking to reporters shortly after the finals, president of The Gambia Volleyball Federation, Bai Dodou Jallow, said he was impressed with the level of performance displayed during the championship.
He pointed out that the objective of the championship is to integrate youth of Senegal and The Gambia through volleyball, adding that they have successfully done so for the last 5 years.
“These youth have become a family now because of the competition,” he stated.
According to Mr Jallow, he saw high level of volleyball being exhibited for both the Senegalese and Gambian sides during the competition, adding that the addition of the beach volleyball into the championship has added another spice to the level of the championship for both countries.
“The competition is raising the level of our players in both countries.
The Gambia dominated the beach volleyball shows that Gambia is stronger in beach volleyball and Senegal is stronger at club level in indoor,” he observed but was quick to add recently they played against Senegal in an indoor game and beat them 3-0.
Mr. Jallow called on government the private sector, individuals and parents to continue to support volleyball, noting that there are a lot of lives being transformed through volleyball across the country in both male and female.
Mahmoud Jawla, acting executive director of the National Sports Council (NYC) also expressed delight with the level of performance from all teams that participated in the finals most especially the Gambian teams.
“Both our teams in beach volleyball and indoor did extremely well. Our players are improving in volleyball,” he stated.
Major Papa Arouna Gueye, an official of ASFA described Senegal and The Gambia as one people, adding that they felt at home throughout the championship.
Commander Gueye added that the presidents of the Senegalese and Gambia Volleyball Federations have stood firm to ensure the bond between the two nations grow stronger, highlighting that both Gambian and Senegalese players and officials lived together for the period of the competition and interacted which shows that there is no loser in the competition.
COB/23/04/24
