NAIROBI, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The final eight teams to compete in volleyball at the Africa Youth Games in Algiers, Algeria have been confirmed with Kenya being the only big name missing out of the tourney that runs from July 19-28.
The Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) on Wednesday issued a communication to the seven teams, which will join host Algeria in the finals, and from which the best two teams will secure qualification to the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina in October.
Defending boys and girls champions Egypt locked out Kenya by winning the Zone Five qualifiers in Kampala, Uganda last month.
Kenya had won the silver medal in girls volleyball in the last games in Gaborone, Botswana, finishing behind Egypt.
But her chance of returning to the third edition of the games in Algiers has been nipped in the bud by the Pharaohs who won both the boys and girls qualification tourneys.
"The qualifiers for the 2018 Youth African Games have been confirmed following the end of the Zonal qualifiers across the continent. Youth African Games finals will feature eight teams in both boys and girls categories," said Tarek Al-Adwar, the CAVB Press Officer.
Tunisia booked the boys and girls tickets in zone 1 after they won the qualifiers staged in their homeland. Gambia snatched the boys' tickets in zone 2, leaving the girls' ticket for Senegal. This was the only group that had two different countries winning ticket to the finals.
The Nigerian boys and girls beat Niger to clinch a zone 3 qualification berth, while Cameroon beat DR Congo in both boys and girls qualifiers to claim zone 4 slots.
Egypt battled it out against Kenya and Uganda in zone 5 to clinch the two available places in the finals, while Botswana will represent zone 6 after cancellation of the qualifiers, which was to be held in Mozambique. Madagascar will represent zone 7.
"Congratulations to the seven teams joining Algeria in the finals. CAVB will determine the replacement of any team in case of withdrawals," said Al-Adwar.
The Youth Olympic Games are an elite multisport international event for the world's best young athletes between the ages of 15-18.
Buenos Aires 2018 will mark the first time that an Olympic event has had an equal number of women and men athletes. There will be 1,999 women and 1,999 men competing in the 32 sports from Oct. 6-18.
