By Desmond Tunde Coker
Sierra Leone duo, Ahmed Junior Aruna and MUSA Kamara Wednesday August 30th, 2023 dug out Bronze from the sands of Ain Sbaa Beach in Casablanca after a 2 sets to 1 win over Egypt at the conclusion of a four-day African Under 21 Beach Volleyball Championships.
This follows their disappointing loss to silver medalists and long-time rivals Mozambique in the Semifinals. The competition brought together seventeen teams from across the continent with Sierra Leone seeded in Pool C against hosts Morocco, Ivory Coast and Algeria. The team raced to a slow start with a 2:1 win over the Ivoirians on the first day. Day 2 witnessed a resurgence of Sierra Leone’s beach credentials on the continent, first beating Algeria and eventually Morocco to finish top of Pool C, and therefore earning a place at the Quarter Finals.
Their next rivals were decided by a match between West African neighbors Nigeria and Egypt. Nigeria beat Egypt for an ECOWAS encounter with Sierra Leone. The lads took aim and shot straight at the Nigerian duo with a 2 straight sets win for a place at the semis.
Next stop, Mozambique.
The top-ranked team fought for dear life with little to decide between the two in a match dubbed the most technical of the tournament. Mozambique sailed through to the finals while team Sierra Leone had to settle for another battle for Bronze.
Determined not to return without any ornament, the lads dug deep into their reserve to defeat a spirited Egyptian side to earn a podium finish.
Captain Ahmed Aruna told Salone Volleyball that his return to Morocco after one year has yielded dividends and inspired him for more exploits given the busy schedule ahead. He was optimistic that the outing would give them the required momentum for the upcoming Continental Cup competition and the All-African Games in Accra, Ghana in March 2024.
The team returned home on September 1st, 2023, with the hope that the soldiers of volleyball have advanced to be recognized by sports authorities in the country.