PACIFIC GAMES
Team Fiji Men’s Volleyball have come into the 2023 Pacific Games as an unseeded team having not been part of the competition in the last two games.
Team Fiji Men’s Volleyball have come into the 2023 Pacific Games as an unseeded team having not been part of the competition in the last two games.
They now go into the competition against defending champions Tahiti in their first pool match today.
Team Manager Myron Williams says coming in as the underdogs is a good thing for the team. “We don't have a target on our back, it is humbling for the boys. But we know there are a lot of expectations for the sport in general from Team Fiji, from Fiji Volleyball Federation and just Volleyball in general in Fiji as a sport,” he added.
Williams said, “Our preparations have been going on for months where we picked an extended squad, and we've trimmed it down to the final 13. From our end from the coaching and management of Fiji volleyball, we've done all we can to prepare the boys. Of course, we're going in very optimistic, but everyone wants to win. It's a competition. For us. It's a good thing. And from the boys themselves, they liked playing the toughest team first.”
He also highlighted that their goal this year really is to make the podium.
Team Fiji Men’s Volleyball last medalled in the event in a Pacific Games in 1999 winning silver. Fiji has never won a gold medal in the sport at the Pacific Games.
Williams says they have a good mix in the team with one gold medallist on the team from beach volleyball, Qilu Elliot and they have fresh boys who have just come into the sport over the last two years bringing a lot of power into the team.
Fiji will face Tahiti at 7 tonight at Friendship Hall.
In their other pool games, tomorrow Fiji will meet American Samoa at 12pm, on Monday 20 November, Fiji will play Tuvalu at 5pm and their final pool match will be against Papua New Guinea on Tuesday 21 November at 5pm.
