The Gambian men’s beach volleyball team clinched gold at the Zone II Beach Volleyball Championship in Bissau, securing qualification for the 2026 African Beach Volleyball Championship.
The Gambian duo of Sainey Jawo and Laity Nyabally delivered an outstanding performance throughout the tournament, culminating in a dominant 2-0 victory over Cape Verde in the final (21-17, 21-9).
Road to Gold
The Zone II champions started their campaign brightly by defeating hosts Guinea-Bissau 2-0 (21-18, 21-8). They followed that up with another straight-set victory over Mali (21-15, 21-14) to advance to the knockout stage.
In the quarter-finals, The Gambia comfortably dispatched Sierra Leone 2-0 (21-13, 21-13) before setting up a highly anticipated Senegambian derby in the semi-finals.
The Gambians rose to the occasion, defeating Senegal in straight sets, 21-19 and 21-17, to book their place in the final and complete a memorable double over their rivals.
Against Cape Verde in the championship match, Jawo and Nyabally proved too strong, sealing the title with a convincing straight-set victory.
Speaking to Alkamba Times after the triumph, Gambian captain Sainey Jawo, one of the country’s most decorated beach volleyball athletes, highlighted the team’s determination and experience.
“We entered camp after Eid. It was a good camp, although less than ten days is not enough preparation. What helped us is our experience and maturity. We know what we want as players. Once we entered camp, we left all frustrations behind because this is our future and our career.”
Jawo stressed the need for more international exposure.
“We need international training camps. We have many talented young players coming through, but most of them do not focus fully on beach volleyball. The future is bright if they have the right guidance.”
Experience Gives Jawo an Edge
Jawo credited his development to playing professionally in Doha.
“I play beach volleyball throughout the season and regularly compete. I train with experienced coaches, and the facilities in Doha are top class. The training surfaces are demanding, which helps me adapt to any conditions. Playing alongside experienced players has improved my game management and overall understanding of the sport.”
A Qualification Worth Celebrating
For Jawo and his teammates, qualification was never the sole objective.
“This qualification means a lot to us. We didn’t come just to qualify; we came to win. Beating Senegal always means a lot because it is a derby and both teams want to win. This success has boosted our confidence ahead of the Olympic qualifiers.”
Tough Competition
Jawo praised the quality of the tournament, particularly the performances of Senegal, Cape Verde and Sierra Leone.
“The standard was very high. Sierra Leone has a young and talented team. Cape Verde even held a training camp in Italy before the qualifiers and won all their matches before facing us in the final. The level of beach volleyball in Zone II has improved significantly because countries now have professional coaches and stronger programmes.”
Rising Star Laity Nyabally
Nyabally continues to establish himself as one of the continent’s most promising beach volleyball players.
Promoted to the senior national team last year, he helped The Gambia reach the quarter-finals of the African Championship. His achievements include:
- Zone II Beach Volleyball Champion (2022)
- African U21 Beach Volleyball Champion in Casablanca
- Participant at the U21 World Championship in Thailand
Despite his young age, Nyabally already boasts an impressive list of accomplishments and remains a key figure in Gambian beach volleyball’s future.
Head coach Pa Barrow expressed his delight at the achievement and believes the result strengthens the team’s Olympic ambitions.
“I am delighted. This success has restored confidence and trust as we continue pursuing our dream of Olympic qualification.”
The Gambia’s Male Team B and Female Team A both reached the quarter-finals, while Female Team B finished fourth overall.
Meanwhile, Gambian referee Muhammed Cham, a member of the Gambia Police Force, made history by becoming the first Gambian official appointed to referee the women’s final between Senegal A and Cape Verde A.
