NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – Four Caribbean sides will be part of the inaugural beach volleyball competition at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games to take place in the Bahamas.
Jamaica, St. Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago and hosts Bahamas will provide teams for both the boys’ and girls’ competitions at the Games which is scheduled for July 19 to 23.
“Some of the Commonwealth’s finest beach-side settings will be the sporting stage for beach volleyball when our exciting and engaging sport is presented for the first time ever at the Bahamas 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games, and then on the Commonwealth Games programme in Gold Coast, Australia a year later,” said Ary Graça, president of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).
“It’s such an exciting time globally for this fast-paced and fast-growing sport, and I’ve every confidence that fans will welcome its addition to the programme.”
A total of 24 teams are set to be fielded in the beach volleyball competition during the CYG which will be the largest international sporting event ever to be staged in the Bahamas and the largest-ever edition of the Games with up to 1,300 athletes, aged 14 to 18, set to participate.
The boys’ tournament will also feature Australia, Cyprus, England, Ghana, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea and South Africa.
The others contesting the women’s competition will be Australia, Cameroon, England, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland and Vanuatu.