The Botswana Volleyball Federation (BVF) appears to be leaving no stone unturned in its endeavour to see the country’s senior Ladies Volleyball team qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The federation has roped in Brazilian coach Augusto Jose Sabbatini on a three months contract to oversee the ladies’ qualification for the world’s largest sporting showpiece.
Sabbatini is already on Botswana’s shores and has started training the ladies team in an effort to get them ready for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Qualifiers.
The much travelled Brazilian volleyball gaffer has been coaching for 28 years in sevral countries.
He was a head Coach and Instructor of Morocco’s National Senior Men’s team in 2017-2018 and NORCECA (North, Central America and Caribbean Zone Volleyball Association), for 3 years.
Sabbatini also coached for the Myanmar and Nigeria Volleyball Federations as well as the Kuwait Volleyball Team, Senior Men, Vietnam National Volleyball and Pakistan’s senior men’s team.
In an interview with Coach Augusto Jose Sabbatini, he said, “I am excited about being able to share my passion for Volleyball with Botswana. I want to focus on steering the ship to success through imparting what I know to what we love. The road to Tokyo 2020 is one of extreme dedication and determination; a recipe I believe we have in abundance”
Sabbatini said he observed that there is world of potential in the 18 women team. He said the goal of team Botswana is not only to qualify for the athletic contest, but to rise through the levels of the competition. He added that he and the team wants to take volleyball sporting code further than where it is now.
Commenting about the coach appointment, Botswana Volleyball Federation (BVF) Vice President Technical, George Keotsene, “BVF wanted to take the opportunity because it will help in advancing towards the journey to qualify for Tokyo 2020. Coach Sabbatini brings with him a wealth of experience BVF wishes to grasp to elevate volleyball and ensuring BVF players remain competitive on the international front”
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Africa Qualifiers will take place in Yaounde, Cameroon from the 2nd to the 10th of January 2020 with 8 teams expected to participate.
Countries expected to compete for the Olympic slot include Algeria, Botswana, Cameroon, Congo RDC, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria.
The Yaounde qualifiers will be the local ladies volleyball team’s 3rd attempt to qualify for the Olympics.
Botswana ladies have failed to qualify from their two previous attempts and will be pinning on Sabbatini’s expertise to see them through.