Nigeria Clinch Bronze at 2025 Africa Youth Cup

Nigeria Clinch Bronze at 2025 Africa Youth Cup

By Admin 

 Nigeria’s girls’ team secured a bronze medal at the 2025 Africa U18 Beach Volleyball Youth Development Cup, defeating Morocco in straight sets in the third-place playoff on Saturday.

The Nigerian duo bounced back from a narrow semifinal defeat to DR Congo with a commanding 2-0 (21-7, 21-12) victory over Morocco to seal third place. In the semis, they had pushed DR Congo all the way but eventually lost 2-1 (16-21, 21-16, 15-12) in a closely contested match.

Head coach John Iwerima praised the team’s resilience and fighting spirit throughout the tournament.

 “I’m proud of the girls. They gave their best on the court and showed great character,” Iwerima said. “We’ll reflect on this tournament, learn from our mistakes, and ensure we never underestimate any team going forward.”

Meanwhile, DR Congo emerged champions, while hosts Gambia finished as runners-up after a spirited campaign.

President of the CAVB Beach Volleyball Commission, Musa Nimrod, lauded the overall standard of the competition, expressing optimism for the growth of the sport across the continent.

 “The level of competition has improved, and I must commend all the teams,” Nimrod said. “The future of beach volleyball in Africa is very bright. With the right development, we can soon compete with top European nations.”

In the boys’ category, Nigeria exited at the quarterfinal stage, losing to Sierra Leone.

All medal-winning teams at the tournament have earned qualification for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.