The Lionesses, as the volleyball players from Cameroon are known, booked their first ticket ever to the Olympic Games after a thrilling five-setter. The girls performed the feat in front of about 5,400 of their fans in Yaoundé, the capital. They defeated Egypt 3-2 (25-14, 25-27, 21-25, 25-23, 15-7), in the final of the 2016 African Women’s Olympic Qualifier.
Opposite Nana Tchoudjang was the best scorer
for the Cameroonians with 21 points, followed by middle blocker Stephanie
Fotoso with 19. Egyptian Aya El Shami, who scored 22, topped the game.
This is
the fifth time an African women’s team participates at the women’s volleyball
tournament in the Olympics. Kenya qualified for Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004.
Algeria took part in Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
A dream come true
In an interview with CRTV, a local
station, Nana Tchoudjang said this an old dream that finally came true.
Cameroon’s coach, Jean René Akono, talked about the fighting spirit of his
squad, while also emphasizing the qualities of the other semi-finalists.
In the third place match, Kenya beat
Algeria 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 26-24). Other three teams – Botswana, Tunisia and
Uganda – participated in this qualifier in Yaoundé.
Egypt and Kenya will join Colombia
and Puerto Rico for a qualifier that will give an Olympic sport, later in May,
in a place to be defined – Colombian and Rican federations made a bid to host
the tournament. Puerto Rico is the favourite team to grab the berth.
Seven teams have secured their place
in Rio: Brazil (host country), USA, Russia, China, Serbia, Argentina and
Cameroon. There are five remaining spots. Besides the tournament
aforementioned, Japan will host, in late May, the World Olympic Qualifier, when
four tickets will be given. The three best teams plus the best Asian will
qualify to Rio 2016. The participants are Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Kazakhstan,
Italy, Netherlands, Dominican Republic and Peru.