L'Egitto ha fatto un passo significativo verso gli ottavi di finale siglando la sua seconda vittoria contro la Costa Rica questo sabato. Il capitano Hamza Elsafy è una delle figure chiave in questa fase positiva per gli egiziani e sogna un lungo viaggio per la sua squadra nel Campionato del Mondo FIVB U19 del 2023.

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"We won 3-1 in the first match against Serbia and it was a great start for us. Then we lost to USA, but we had another great match against Costa Rica" said the outside hitter who has accumulated 34 points so far in the tournament.

For Hamza, representing his country is a family matter. His parents were national team athletes, and the same goes for his brother and sister. In fact, his beginnings in sports trace back to the time he started playing volleyball due to his father and basketball due to his mother. But ultimately, it was his father's legacy that prevailed.

"Half of my family plays volleyball. My dad, my brother and my sister play it, so I started playing because of them. The other half of my family plays basketball, so I also played it, but I liked volleyball more" he recounted.

His father is none other than Hamdy Elsafy, one of Egypt's best outside hitters in history. About him, Hamza said "My dad is my idol; he played for Egypt’s national team and also internationally. To me, he's the best, and I'm very thankful to him for giving me the opportunity to play volleyball and follow in his footsteps."

Expressing gratitude is a significant part of the young athlete's routine; he also does it with his teammates after each set. It's a gesture that surprises some unsuspecting people but reflects a strong conviction within the team. "We always thank God after each game; it's part of our religion" Hamza shared.

Il capitano ha espresso soddisfazione per le prestazioni della sua squadra finora, ma ha confessato che c'è ancora margine di miglioramento. "Penso che abbiamo bisogno di più lavoro di squadra in campo e di fiducia reciproca".

Il prossimo appuntamento per l'Egitto è la conclusione della Pool A, quando affronterà l'Argentina. Riguardo a questa partita, ha detto: "Spero che riusciremo a vincere contro di loro" e ha subito espresso il suo desiderio finale per il torneo: "Vorrei che potessimo guadagnare una medaglia in questo Campionato del Mondo. Credo che possiamo farcela, ma dobbiamo lavorare sodo e dare il massimo in ogni partita".

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