The Mozambican beach volleyball duo, composed of José Mondlane (Zelito) and Osvaldo Mungoi (Touch), failed to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, despite an impressive performance throughout the Continental Cup. This final qualifying stage for the modern Olympics took place from June 20 to 23 on Martil beach in Tetouan, Morocco.
Zelito and Touch were defeated by the Moroccan duo Abicha and Elgraoui, who demonstrated their superiority by winning 2-0, with scores of 18-21 and 12-21. The arena on Martil beach was packed with hundreds of Moroccans who watched the decisive match, cheering for the home team that would ultimately secure the only African spot available for Paris 2024, offered by the International Volleyball Federation.
In the first set, the Moroccan pair quickly gained a significant advantage, leading by as many as 5 points. Zelito and Touch fought bravely, but ultimately lost the set 18-21. In the second set, despite a good start by the Mozambican pair, Abicha and Elgraoui recovered, spurred on by the enthusiastic support of the crowd. The physical exhaustion of Zelito and Touch, after five matches without defeat, became evident, and the Moroccan pair won comfortably 12-21, securing their place in Paris 2024.
Despite the defeat, Zelito and Touch were applauded by experts in the sport for their performance and progress, finishing the Continental Cup as the second-best pair on the continent. They took home the silver medal, a trophy that will serve as inspiration for future competitions and keeps alive the dream of participating in the 2028 Olympic Games.
The Continental Cup podium was completed by the South African duo Danilo and Williams, who defeated the Togolese pair Kotoka and Samani 2-0, with scores of 21-11 and 25-23, winning the bronze medal.
In the women's tournament, the Egyptian pair Marwa and Doaa secured their place for Paris 2024 by defeating the Nigerian pair Pamela and Esther 2-1, with scores of 15-21, 21-16 and 21-8. The Moroccan pair Darharr and Yakki finished in third place by beating the Cape Verdean pair Lu and Jany 2-0, with scores of 21-15 and 21-13.
This event in Tetouan highlighted the talent and dedication of African beach volleyball pairs, providing exciting moments and paving the way for future high-level competitions.
