Beach Volleyball: Nigeria Stays Unbeaten at African Under-18 Cup in Gambia

By Arinzechi Chukwunonso

Nigeria’s Under-18 girls’ beach volleyball team continued their impressive run at the ongoing 2025 African Beach Volleyball Under-18 Development Cup in Banjul, The Gambia, maintaining an unbeaten record in their group stage campaign on Thursday.

The duo of Pamela Bawa and Ifechukwu Odoh opened their account in dominant fashion, brushing aside Tunisia in straight sets 2-0 (21-10, 21-3). Building on that momentum, they produced another commanding performance against North African powerhouse Egypt, sealing another 2-0 victory (21-14, 21-17). Their successive wins ensured Nigeria sit top of the log with four points, ahead of Egypt on three, while Tunisia trail with two.

Head coach John Iwerima expressed delight with the performance of his team, commending their discipline and composure on the sand. However, he stressed that the team will remain grounded and focused on the bigger picture. According to him, the target goes beyond winning matches – it is to claim the trophy in both boys’ and girls’ categories and, crucially, secure qualification for the 2026 African Youth Olympic Games in Senegal.

“We are proud of the start the girls have made, but we’re not carried away,” Iwerima said. “This tournament doubles as a Youth Olympic Games qualifier, and the players know exactly what is at stake. We came here prepared, and we’ll keep pushing until the mission is accomplished.”