BIG South East Port-of-Spain women and Zenith men were crowned champions of their respective Under-21 Divisions when the T&T Volleyball Federation (TTVF) Macsood Ali Development Festival final continued at the National Cycling Centre (NCC) in Balmain, Couva on Tuesday night.
In the best-of-three sets women's Under-21 decider, the Gideon Dickson-coached BIG SEPoS overcame a stubborn Saleem Ali-coached Glamorgan 26-24, 25-21 to add to their triumph in the Under-23 women's competition as well, with Glamorgan again, the runner-up.
To their credit, the final was the second match of the afternoon for Glamorgan women as they swept past West Side Stars 25-8, 25-13 in their rescheduled semifinal also on Tuesday night, while SEPoS won their match against Zenith which was played on Indian Arrival Day (Monday, May 30) in two straight sets as well.
It was double heart-break for Ali and Glamorgan on the night as they also came up short in the Under-21 men's final, losing 21-25, 19-25 to Zenith coached by Peer Nassier.
Glamorgan earlier on the night fought off a tough challenge from La Cura Sports 'A' 25-23, 29-27 in the semifinal also played on Tuesday night while Zenith brushed aside La Cura Sports 'B' in straight sets also.
However, in the Under-23 men's category which was completed last month, Ali and Glamorgan took the top spot ahead of Zenith, with La Cura Sports completing the bronze medal double in both genders.
Of the seven divisions contested, only the men's Open competition is still to be completed in the festival which features 75 teams and 400 athletes from a combined 12 Development Centre throughout the country and is being used by the T&TVF to broaden the talent pools for the T&T national teams from the junior levels upwards.
The Development Centres involved included Port-of-Spain and Environs, St George East, Caroni, North East, Victoria, St Patrick, South East, and Tobago.
Prior to the festival, T&TVF president Daymian Stewart Stewart noted that U-19 and U-21 competitions are their immediate focal points of the Development Festival because the winning Development Centre’s coaching staff will earn the privilege of coaching the national teams in the upcoming Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) U-19 and U-21 Championships which are both being held in T&T in July.
Speaking on completion of the first weekend of the finals, CAZOVA President, Mushtaque Mohammed, an Executive Vice President of the North, Central America and the Caribbean Volleyball Association (NORCECA) and board member of the T&T Olympic Committee said the event was a good test piece to evaluate where the TTVF Developmental Program is at.
T&TVF Macsood Ali Development Festival results:
Under-14 Mixed Division:
1. La Cura Sports; 2. Toco Youths
Under-17 Girls:
1. Glamorgan; 2. La Cura Sports
Under-17 Boys:
Zenith; 2. La Cura Sports
Under-19 Girls:
1. Glamorgan; 2. La Cura Sports
Under-19 Boys:
1. Zenith; 2. La Cura Sports
Under-21 Division:
Men: 1. Zenith; 2. Glamorgan; 3. La Cura Sports 'A'.
Women: 1. BIG SEPoS; 2. Glamorgan; 3. West Side Stars
Under-23 Division:
Men: 1. Glamorgan; 2. Zenith; 3. La Cura Sports
Women: 1. BIG SEPoS; 2. Glamorgan; 3. La Cura Sports
Open Division
Women: 1. Challengers; 2. BIG SEPoS