11th Women’s Under-20 African Nations Championship-Seychelles silver medallists with Tunisia win |22 September 2006
Aware that they had very little chance of repeating the feat of the senior team who captured the African Nations Cup gold medal in Port Harcourt, Nigeria in 2001, the young players battled hard to finish on the medals podium in Alexandria, Egypt. They achieved their goal and took the runners-up position behind winners Egypt who, in 2007, will represent the African continent in the Fédération internationale de Volley-ball (FIVB) World Junior Championship for the third time.
On Wednesday, the fifth and final day of the competition, the Seychelles under-20 team capped their successful participation in the 11th Women’s Under-20 African Nations Championship by overcoming the challenge of Tunisia, one of the favourites for the gold medal before the start of the five-team tournament played on a round-robin format. The final score: 22-25, 25-22, 25-22 16-25 and 15-13.
After the match, the organisers described Seychelles, who played under the captaincy of Tania Elizabeth, as the “stars of the competition” and added that the thrilling five-set win over Tunisia was the “most exciting match” of the tournament.
In their first encounter on the opening day of the competition, Seychelles lost 0-3 (11-25 9-25 16-25) to hosts and defending champions Egypt. After a day’s rest, they destroyed 2004 runners-up Nigeria 3-0 (25-19 25-20 25-20) and the players of coach Marie-Ange Bouchereau made it two wins in a row when they rallied from two sets down to beat 2004 bronze medallists Senegal 3-2 (17-25 23-25 25-11 25-15 16-14).
Wednesday’s victory against Tunisia was Seychelles’ third successive and according to the organisers, Maya Biong played a great role in the victory with her strong service. The 18-year-old was voted the tournament’s best server.
Gold medallist as a player with the women’s senior team in the African Nations Cup in 2001, coach Bouchereau could hardly speak yesterday when reached by phone.
“I’m happy and satisfied with the team’s performance. The players heeded the coaching staff’s advice and followed the instructions to the letter. I’m proud of them,” she told Sports Nation.
When asked if the final position would have been different had the Egypt-Seychelles match been scheduled a little later in the competition, Bouchereau replied:
“Of course yes. Egypt as hosts chose to play Seychelles first as they did not know our game. Had we played Egypt later in the competition, I’m sure that we would have got a win against them.”
In Wednesday’s other match, Senegal got their first win on a 3-1 (11-25 25-21 25-23 25-21) victory over 2004 silver medallists Nigeria who failed to garner a single victory in four games played.
The 12 players who formed the Seychelles teams are Rona Dubignon, Tania Elizabeth, Frantina Kilindo, Solana Domingue, Manuella Monthy, Atilla Bonnelame (Juniors), Antoinette Quatre, Agnella Françoise (BSA 96ers), Maya Biong, Sandra Joseph (Cascade), Teryl Songoire and Marielle Bonne (Arsu).
Apart from coach Marie-Ange Bouchereau and assistant James Camille, head of delegation Antoine Lafortune, manager Jessie Freminot and referee Antoine Jeannevol made the trip to Egypt.
Best Server Maya Biong
“IT’S nice to win an individual title, but I have to thank my teammates as it was a collective effort that won us the silver medal and I the Best Server title.”
This is how the Cascade middle blocker and rapid attacker reacted when Sports Nation asked her how she felt about winning the Best Server title at the just-ended 11th Women’s Under-20 African Nations Championship in Alexandria, Egypt.
Coming from a basketball-dominated family, Biong chose volleyball and she was voted the Best Young Player during the Indian Ocean Club Championship (IOCC) in 2002 in Mauritius when Cascade won the silver. She helped Cascade win the bronze medals in the 2003 and 2004 editions of the same competition.
Also in 2004, the 1.74m-tall Biong captained the Seychelles under-17 team to winning the Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l’Océan indien (CJSOI) tournament gold medal inside the Palais des Sports at Roche Caïman.
The 18-year-old noted that “my jump float services were effective during the tournament.”
Final Teams Ranking
1st Egypt with 8 points after four wins
2nd Seychelles with 7 points after three wins and one defeat
3rd Tunisia with 6 points after two wins and two defeats
4th Senegal with 5 points after one win and three defeats
5th Nigeria with 4 points after four defeats
Individual Prize Winners
Most Valuable Player: Nada Ayman (Egypt)
Best Spiker: Marwa Yassin (Egypt)
Best Blocker: Hagar Badr (Egypt)
Best Server: Maya Biong (Seychelles)
Best Libero: Ranya Gouini (Tunisia)
Best Receiver: Nahla Sameh (Egypt)
Best Setter: Marwa Barhoumi (Egypt)
G. G.