April 11, 2016 By Sahr Morris Jr.
The Sierra Leone national women’s beach volleyball team is expected to depart the country’s shores today (Monday) ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games final round qualifiers scheduled for April 13-18 in Abuja, Nigeria.
Four players – Francess Lansana, Aminata Kadiatu Turay, Fatamata Binta Bah and Zainab Lansana – will be flying the country’s flag in the five days tournament in Abuja.
Sierra Leone, who has been drawn in Pool B alongside Rwanda, Kenya, Morocco, Ghana and Namibia, will be seeking for top spot to qualify, while in Pool A, hosts Nigeria, Mozambique, Mauritius, Egypt, Gambia and Burkina Faso will battle it out for a qualifying spot.
The team captain, Francess Lansana, said they are optimistic and in high spirit to progress and secure an Olympic qualification spot.
She said: “We are no longer strangers to such competition and the teams. We’ve played against Morocco and Ghana, which we have knowledge about.
“It is not going to be an easy tournament for us because everyone wants to make it but we are going to do our best, focus on our own game and seek the qualification spot.”