By Sulayman Bah
An 8-man Gambian beach volleyball squad is eyeing to shock heavyweights in the soon-to- start Continental 
Cup in Ivory Coast.
The West African nation face a myriad of tough fixtures in both the male and female categories. Gambia is hoping to pull off the wow factor in a bid to secure a spot in the Rio Olympic Games in the Continental Cup serving as qualifiers to the Brazil event.
Ghana, Congo Brazaville, Gabon, hosts Ivory Coast and neighbouring Senegal are Gambia’s male team’s opponents in group B while the female outfit tussles it out with Burkina Faso, Ghana and the two Congos: DR and Brazzaville including Senegal.
Funded by the National Olympic Committee, the Abidjan Cup competition will be Gambia’s second participation in a continental affair after partaking in the African Games where the indoor team got disqualified two months ago.
And ahead of start of the six-day championship billed for Nov. 11th, Gambian team captain Malick Jammeh is bullish of the nation’s chances.
‘We are expecting a positive result in Ivory Coast and I am sure we will make it through to the final stage,’ says Jammeh, part of the traveling Gambian delegation to leave for Abidjan November 9th.
Chipping in, gaffer Ebrima Nyass added weight to Jammeh’s remarks saying: ‘We are morally and spiritually prepared to meet any task down in Ivory Coast,
“.. our recent participation in the 11th All Africa Games has added confidence and experience for us in beach volleyball,” a buoyed Nyass, who said he is comfortable with the grouping and whose side have tussled Angola, Nigeria, and Mozambique among others.
Olympic Bureau boss Momodou Dibba, earlier speaking lauded volleyball’s strides including the recent exploits in the Zone II.
Gambia beach Volleyball male and female players: Sanu Secka (Gamtel/Gamcel), Alieu Barry (GAF), Babucarr Jarra (Old Jeshwang), Malick Jammeh (Old Jeshwang), Sainabou Tambedou ( Gamtel/Gamcel), Amie Gaye (Interior), Fatoumatta Ceesay (Interior), Abie Kujabie (GAF)
