Zimbabwe’s indoor volleyball teams have failed to qualify for the African Games set for Congo Brazzaville in September this year after failing to secure a slot from the qualifiers in Botswana on Thursday.
While the beach volleyball teams have secured slots to the Games, formerly All Africa Games, their counterparts will not be taking part after finishing third in the qualifiers.

Hosts Botswana finished top in both the men and women’s pools while Mozambique were second and Zimbabwe were third and Zambia last in both the men and women’s divisions.

The Zimbabwe’s men team did well to beat Zambia 3-0 while the women won 3-1 on Thursday but the results were not good enough as they had lost Mozambique and Botswana early this week.

Botswana and Mozambique will represent the region at the Games as Zimbabwe settled for a third place and fell short of two sets out of six needed to qualify.

Vice president of the Zimbabwe Volleyball Association Chris Chivhinge says the team had performed well but could have done better at the qualifiers.

“We have done our best considering the circumstances, but we could have done better.

Chivhinge believes they lost in closely contested encounters.

“We had a very close encounter against Mozambique losing 25-19, 26-24 and 26-24. We were just one step behind,”
Despite the loss Chivhinge still thinks the teams have a bright future in the volleyball.

“We may not have won, we not have qualified but we have gone out there and showed them what Zimbabwean volleyball is about.

“Zimbabwe volleyball is on resurgence.” Chivhinge said.

Zimbabwe men’s team’s libero Murphrey Chindumo was injured late Wednesday and could not play in the last qualifiers against Zambia.