EVEN after suffering the loss of a crucial nail biting golden set to eventual third place finishers Nicaragua during the 3rd Round of the Men’s Continental Cup in the NORCECA Inter Zonal Men’s Beach Volleyball Qualification to the Rio Olympics, St. Lucia still earned one of the twelve spots to the 2016 Beach Volleyball Continental Cup Final to be held in San Carlos, Nuevo Guaymas Sonora, Mexico, June 21-27.
This tournament will bring together in the Men’s division; Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, USA, Canada, St. Lucia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, US Virgin Islands, EL Salvador and Trinidad and Tobago.
While the St. Lucia Male Team has been assured of a berth, the Ladies Team has to await the conclusion of the “Hamburg FIVB Major Series Event ending tomorrow, when it will be determined if the USA and Canada have two teams qualified for the Olympics through the FIVB World Ranking system.
This is the furthest in qualification that St. Lucia has achieved in Beach Volleyball for Olympic qualification. Four years ago, St. Lucia was eliminated in the second round of qualification in both divisions. The Men were unlucky last weekend when the Premier Team of Julian Bissette and Joseph Clercent won both of their matches against El, Salvador, Barbados, Nicaragua and Suriname and only lost one of their two matches against the USVI.
They had to play golden sets against all teams except US Virgin Islands. They won their golden sets against all teams, except that crucial one against Nicaragua 16 -14. The second team of Tevin St. Jean and Darnell Eudoxie won the match against Barbados.
While the Premier Team of Bissette and Clercent accept the pressure of having to play a golden set, it shows the talent gap between the teams. Yet they are proud that they can lead their country to new heights. According to Clercent: “the young guys have height, talent and youth, so soon, if they work hard, are determined, serious and committed to themselves and the sport they will be carrying St. Lucia.”
The St. Lucia Volleyball Association (SLVA) is now seeking financial support to ensure that Team St. Lucia is well prepared and equipped for this major undertaking.