The Vodafone Nadi International Airport Volleyball Tournament marked its 20th anniversary with a vibrant celebration yesterday, attracting 50 organizations and 109 teams for an exciting day of matches.
What began in 2004 with just 16 teams, thanks to founder Joe Gray’s vision, has evolved into one of Fiji’s most eagerly awaited volleyball events. This year’s theme, “Bula Spirit: Champions of Unity,” continues the tradition of promoting unity and inclusion through sports.
Tournament Coordinator Bulou Lele expressed satisfaction with the high participation rate. “We have 50 organizations fielding 109 teams. There were 306 pool games played yesterday, along with 16 quarter-finals, 14 semi-finals, and six finals. It was a fun-filled day that all teams enjoyed,” Lele stated.
The tournament featured a variety of categories to accommodate a diverse group of players. Competitors participated in men’s, women’s, mixed, master’s men, master’s mixed, and an invitational category, which became a central aspect of the tournament.
“The invitational category was designed to create opportunities for Indo-Fijian players who have been excluded in previous years. We aim to be more inclusive, which is why we welcomed Indo-Fijian teams from other organizations as well as new entrants to the sport. In the past, we mainly saw i-taukei teams and players participating,” Lele explained, adding that the invitational category was initiated in 2019.
Following a pause due to the pandemic, the tournament made a robust return, with participation numbers more than doubling compared to last year. “We came back last year with 20 organizations, and now we’re up to 50,” Lele remarked, indicating the tournament’s substantial growth in the post-COVID landscape.