Namibia’s national men’s and women’s volleyball teams have capped off a historic return to the international arena by scooping bronze medals at the Confederation of African Volleyball Zone VI Olympic Games Qualifiers in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The double podium finish marks an incredible comeback for the country, turning heads in what was Namibia’s first competitive appearance on the international circuit in nearly two decades.
The Namibian men secured their bronze with a clinical 3-0 demolition of Malawi in their third-place playoff. It was a sweet recovery for the side, who had a tough run in the group stages following straight 3-0 losses to both Zambia and the tournament hosts, Zimbabwe.
On the women’s side, Namibia repeated the trick against the same opposition, digging deep to defeat Malawi 3-1 in their bronze medal match. The women’s team showed serious grit throughout the campaign, having already outlasted Malawi in a 3-2 group-stage thriller before bouncing back from a 3-1 setback against Zambia.
Elated by the fairy-tale return, the Namibia Volleyball Federation has showered both squads with praise, hailing their podium finishes as a massive milestone for the sport’s revival in the country.
–ChannelAfrica—
