By JONATHAN BURROWS

THE Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium is in its final stages of preparation, as The Bahamas gears up to host the 19th edition of the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Senior Championship for the first time in nearly two decades. 

The tournament, scheduled to begin on August 16, is expected to host some of the Caribbean’s top volleyball talent on Bahamian soil.

“It’s good that volleyball is getting back to the level it once was in The Bahamas,” said Arthur Thompson Jr, the venue manager for National Sports Authority of The Bahamas and venue organiser for the championships. 

The last time The Bahamas hosted the CAZOVA championships was in 2006, making this year’s event a significant milestone for the sport of volleyball and The Bahamas.

Minor renovations to the gymnasium have been carried out to ensure the venue meets international competition standards. 

These upgrades include the installation of Olympic-standard flooring, providing an optimal playing surface for athletes, as well as renovations to the technical rooms, allowing improved facilities for media coverage and technical support. 

Additionally, the locker rooms have been upgraded, offering enhanced amenities for players.

“The setup and minor renovations are going quite well. We have already put in the Olympic flooring being used for the first time. We have completed the minor upkeep, like painting and getting the back rooms ready for the technical people, along with the looker rooms,” said Thompson.

Thompson also says that the upgrades will not only benefit this event but also any future events being held in the gymnasium.

The championships will feature six female teams and seven male teams, coming from Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, Aruba, Gaudelope, Curacao, the US Virgin Islands and The Bahamas.

With the final touches now almost to completion, the stage is set for this weekend.