Perry targets Rio spot
Published:Friday | January 29, 2016 | 1:40 PM
Florida-based Jamaican women's beach volleyball star, Danielle Perry, said she is confident Jamaica will finish on top in the second round of the Women's Beach Volleyball Olympic Qualifiers, under way from yesterday and concludes tomorrow, at Ocho Rios Bay Beach, St Ann.
Perry, who recently took the female category award for volleyball at the RJR Sports Foundation Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards ceremony, said she is fully focused on winning and taking Jamaica one step closer to qualifying for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
"I expect that we are gonna win this tournament and have a good placement and go to the next round, then we will have two more rounds, and possibly the Olympics, so we are hopeful," Perry told The Gleaner.
leading by example
The 29-year-old said she will be leading by example to show that Jamaica's first-round win was no fluke, while calling on the Jamaican crowd for support.
Perry and company spectacularly defeated the Cayman Islands women team in the first round of the Continental Women's Beach Volleyball Caribbean Zonal Tournament last year, despite trailing 7-13 at one point.
"It was great. The stadium was packed in Ocho Rios with locals, and it gave us the energy to win. That was the energy of the crowd, and it helped us immensely. We won and it was great, and, for the second (second round) one, I am very confident we are gonna win," she pointed out.
big feat
Perry said she is only in her second year of playing for Jamaica, and four years, overall, playing the sport, but will be looking to give it her all on the court for team Jamaica.
"It would be a very big feat for Jamaica, I just try to be one of the leaders, to try and direct everybody in the right way. We have a strong team, and if we have the right direction it will allow us to prevail as a team," she said.
Perry and her A team partner, Kai Wright, who she described as an excellent partner with good team chemistry, are joined by B team Alicia Malcolm and Sashalee Wallen.