The Moroccan men’s beach volleyball team clinched their spot for the Paris 2024 Olympics on Sunday by triumphing at the African Championship held in Martil.
The dynamic duo of Zouheir Elgraoui and Mohamed Abicha led Morocco to victory, retaining their African title by defeating Mozambique in the final with a decisive 2-0 (21-18, 21-12) win. Their path to the final saw them overcome South Africa, who secured third place, in a gripping semi-final match that ended 2-1 (18-21, 21-18, 15-10).
On the women’s side, the Egyptian team earned their ticket to the Paris Olympics by besting Nigeria in a closely contested final, securing the title 2-1 (15-21, 21-16, 15-08). The Moroccan women’s team claimed third place after falling to Egypt in the semi-finals.
Bouchra Hajij, President of the Royal Moroccan Volleyball Federation (FRMVB) and the African Volleyball Confederation, expressed pride in the Moroccan men’s team’s continued dominance in Africa. By winning all their matches in the championship, the team guaranteed their second consecutive Olympic participation. Hajij emphasized the team’s ambition to excel at the Paris Olympics and honor African beach volleyball, highlighting the players’ experience and strong team cohesion.
Zouheir Elgraoui acknowledged the challenge of securing the title, given the significant improvements in the participating teams’ performance since the previous edition. He affirmed the Moroccan team’s resolve to bring glory to Moroccan and African beach volleyball at the Olympic Games.
Organized under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI by the African Volleyball Confederation in coordination with the FRMVB, the championship attracted top African teams, featuring 17 men’s and 12 women’s teams. Additionally, Martil will host the Under-19 African Beach Volleyball Championship on Monday, a qualifying event for the World Championship in China.
