Heath in line for Olympic team

Cook Islands national beach volleyball player Brendon Heath is currently in New Zealand where by chance he has been drawn in as New Zealand’s first reserve player for the team’s Olympic qualifying campaign this week.

The two New Zealand teams going through the qualification process for the Olympics are Jason Lochhead and Sam O’dea, and Kirk Pittman and Ben O’dea.

During the New Zealand Beach Volleyball Open tournament last weekend, Lochhead sustained an injury which gave Heath the opportunity to pair up with Sam O’dea and take to the sand court in Mt Maunganui.

The pair played extremely well together defeating a former Olympic team and world number 16 pairing from Norway.

Heath, who is normally a front court player specialising in blocking, played the back court and enjoyed the new experience.

The international teams playing in the New Zealand Open are the best in the world and include the second ranked team in the world from Germany.

Men’s and women’s teams from Vanuatu, the United States, Spain, Norway and the Netherlands are also playing in the tournament.

The Olympic Oceania qualifier, also being held at Mt Maunganui, began yesterday.