Veteran Fiji beach volleyball player Nacanieli Qilu Elliot is calling on Fiji Volleyball Federation officials to work together to improve volleyball in Fiji.
In the lead up to a busy 2022 season which includes the Pacific Mini Games (PMG) and the Commonwealth Games, Qilu said leaders of the sport should unite in taking volleyball forward.
“In order to have successful volleyball tournaments in the country, officials need to work together to organise more games to identify talents and train them to become Fiji reps,” Qilu said while playing in the Mighty Heights volleyball tournament at Namadi Heights in Suva yesterday. Qilu, 39, of Naitasiri, aims to be part of the 2022 PMG in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands next June.
He was part of the Fiji indoor volleyball team that took part in the 2011 Pacific Games in Noumea, teamed up with Inia Korowale for the Oceania Commonwealth Games Beach Volleyball Qualifier at Port Vila, Vanuatu in 2017 and was part of the bronze medal winning Fiji side in the 2017 Pacific Games.
“I have been doing my own training.
There has not been any game time for me, all I have been doing is taking part in local tournaments.
I had to train at home, and for two years there wasn’t much competitions, so I opted to play volleyball to keep me fit.
Beach volleyball is a tough competition and you need a lot of preparations to be physically and mentally fit.”
The Mighty Heights tournament ends today.
