President of Republic of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, became the latest admirer of Alexander Pontel’s work, taking to his official Facebook page to congratulate the national team pairs for their impressive gold-medal-winning performances in the Durban leg of the African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB) Zone VI Beach Volleyball Tour.
The seventh leg of the tour - contested by 17 men’s and 14 women’s teams - was held in Durban, South Africa in January, and saw Mozambique’s women’s duo of Ana Paula Sinaportar and Vanessa Muianga take gold while men’s pair Ainadino Martinho and Jorge Monjane settled for bronze.
Following the latest leg, Mozambique’s Martinho and Jorge Monjane sit top of the men’s category with 1,368 points while compatriots Ana Paula Sinaportar and Vanessa Muianga lead the women’s category with 1,440 points.
At the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships 2022, Mozambique’s national teams caught the attention of the global volleyball community as their vast potential under Brazilian coach Alexander Pontel, as part of the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment programme, was witnessed.
Pontel was seconded to Mozambique in January 2022 to offer technical support as part of the FIVB’s revolutionary Volleyball Empowerment programme which seeks to help national teams realise their full potential. One year later, and the impact of the programme can be seen in the performance of Mozambique in the CAVB Zone VI Beach Volleyball Tour.
Mozambique national men's beach volleyball team of Ainadino Martinho and Jorge Monjane tops the CAVB Zone VI tour with 1,368 points after seven legs. PHOTO: Zone VI Tour
“The achievements of our young beach volleyball athletes are correlated to a lot of hard work, determination and discipline and put Mozambique's name on the highest pedestal of regional, continental and international beach volleyball.
“These achievements stimulate and serve as an inspiration to other young people and athletes to face with determination the challenges that are always present to them,” read the statement of Republic of Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi in part.
CAVB Zone VI President and former Mozambique Volleyball Federation Khalid Cassam president believes the Southern Africa country will soon be a driving force in beach volleyball.
“There is a very big difference in their game since Pontel took charge. In the past, players used to play without proper standards thus could make mistakes in defense, digging, blocking. They wanted to win quickly but now they know how to control the speed of the game, their emotions and also when to use power. They now combine better and know what to do when there is wind and in different positions of the sun,” noted Cassam, who served as Mozambique Volleyball Federation president from 2012 to 2021.
The CAVB Zone VI Tour will reach its climax in Vilanculos, Mozambique where the eighth and final leg will be held from 1-5 March 2023.
Source : fivb.com
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