Egypt’s men’s and women’s teams delivered commanding performances to emerge champions of the African Zone Five Beach Volleyball Championship, which concluded on May 25, 2026, at Sawa Sawa Beach in Dar es Salaam.
The North African nation swept both titles, securing gold medals in the men’s and women’s categories and reaffirming its growing dominance in regional beach volleyball.
In the men’s competition, Kenya finished second to claim the silver medal, while Burundi secured bronze after ending the tournament in third place. Hosts Tanzania settled for fourth position, followed by Uganda in fifth and Sudan in sixth.
The women’s category also saw Egypt finish on top, with Kenya taking silver and Uganda claiming the bronze medal.
The tournament also served as a qualifier for the next stage of the continental competition. The top two teams in both the men’s and women’s categories earned qualification spots to face winners from the other five African zones in the race for places at the 2028 Olympic Beach Volleyball Games in the United States.
Speaking to The Respondent Online after the tournament, Tanzania national team assistant coach Yusuph Mkalambati said the competition had offered important lessons to the local side, particularly in understanding the level of preparation and tactical discipline displayed by rival teams.
He noted that Tanzania’s players gained valuable exposure to advanced playing techniques and international-level competition, experience he believes will help strengthen the team going forward.
Mkalambati, however, called on the Tanzania Volleyball Federation (TVF) to invest more in early residential camps and arrange frequent high-level competitions to improve players’ experience and competitiveness.
“Even though we did not qualify for the next stage, I congratulate my players because they fought very hard throughout the tournament. What we need now is enough preparation time and more competitive matches,” he said.
