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The long wait to earn an Olympic berth is over
COLIMA, Mexico, June 24, 2021. - The long wait
to earn one last berth for the 2020 Tokyo
Olympic Games is over as teams from eight
countries hit the sand on Friday for the NORCECA
Continental Cup Finals in Colima, Mexico.
On the eve of the competition players from the
participating teams had a training day to get to
adjust to the main court prepared at the Morelos
Sports Unit of the Coliman Sports Institute.
The announced Schedule is confirmed, with
Nicaragua number two team (Jefferson Cascante/Denis
López) removed from the competition.
Matches will be Livesrteamed:
http://conceptoweb-studio.com/radio/video/rtv/minisitio/tvstreaming2/tvstream2.html
Mexican Lombardo Ontiveros, who qualified
through the FIVB World Tour to the past Olympic
Games in Rio with longtime partner Juan Virgen
expressed “we are still adapting to live with
the Pandemic, it has been long and hard for the
entire world, but even so we tried to keep
training and had the chance to compete in the
past World Tour events in Cancun with not so
good results. We are ready to represent Mexico
and enjoy the tournament; working together and
try to reach the Olympic Games to not only
represent our country but NORCECA as well”.
He added that he is grateful for all the efforts
by NORCECA and the state of Colima for giving
the athletes of our region a chance to make the
Olympic dream come true.
Also part of the competition is Natalia Alfaro
of Costa Rica who qualified to Rio 2016 in the
past NORCECA Continental Cup Finals with Karen
Cope; here she’s playing with Mariela Quesada
with whom she played her first ever
international beach volleyball event here in
Mexico, said to by really happy to return to
doing what she likes “I am really making out the
best of this opportunity to represent Costa Rica
with pride. We will be hard, we will face teams
who come well prepared, but we are only humans
playing the same game and playing well, adding a
little luck we might just have the best
result”.
Ben Saxton who also was in the Rio 2016 Olympics
via FIVB World Tour said it’s exciting to have
another shot “even if it’s more stressful to
fight for the last Olympic berth it’s nice to
have another opportunity; we’re looking forward
to play as well as we can and I believe our
chances with the other Canadian team are pretty
high to earn the berth to the Olympics.
Hilda Gaxiola, Mexico’s Beach Volleyball
Commissioner said that hosting this NORCECA
Continental Cup Finals for the third time in a
row is a huge responsibility and they are
committed to do it well “the fact that this
event grants an Olympic berth is a great honor
to host, hoping we can celebrate winning the
ticket here at home, the table is served and the
venue is of the highest level”. |
