GUYANA’S male team settled for a second-place finish at the recently concluded Inter-Guianas U-21 Male and Female Volleyball Tournament, which was played in French Guiana.

Defending champions Guyana had stormed into the final of the event through victories over the home side and Suriname in the preliminaries, but according to information from the federation, the officials heavily favoured the home side in the championship clash.
The Guyanese contingent were not the only ones dissatisfied with the calls, the technical official of the French Guiana Volleyball Federation also acknowledged it and promised to get overseas officials for the next event.

Despite the ‘bad calls’, the visitors were able to take their opponents to five games in the best-in-three championship clash. Guyana won the opener 25-17, before French Guiana drew even at 25-18. The visitors bounced back to win game three 25-18 with French Guiana again fighting back for a 25-19 win in game four, before they sealed the win with a 15-12 victory in the final clash.

In the two-best-in-three preliminary round of the May 3-4 tri-nation event, Guyana males had defeated French Guiana 25-21, 17-25 and 25-19 and Suriname 25-17, 19-25 and 25-21.

Our female team did not fare well and were defeated in the preliminary round by both the home nation and Suriname, who played with more experienced players.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Along with the second-place trophy, Guyana took two individual awards. Captain Andy Rohoman was adjudged the best attacker, while his teammate Jaleel Roberts finished as the best blocker.

President of the Guyana Volleyball Federation Levi Nedd indicated that the trip would not have been possible without the support of Director of Sport Christopher Jones.