A Surrey athlete was on the podium in Cuba last week, as captain of the junior national men’s team that won bronze for Canada in the U21 NORCECA Continental Championship, held Aug. 25-Sept. 2 in Havana.
With Michael Dowhaniuk’s help, Canada “knocked off the United States 3-1 (25-22, 25-27, 25-17) to capture the Bronze Medal…,” according to a Sept. 4 Volleyball BC Facebook post.
Dowhaniuk made the team in May – the month after being named MVP of provincials – and has been training in Gatineau, Que. since then, at the Volleyball Canada National Training Centre.
The team took Cuba on in semi-finals after beating Barbados.
“We played better, with control from the start and so the challenge was easier, but we faced the match as we should, as if it was the last and we had to win it until the end,” Dowhaniuk said in a NORCECA press release issued following the sets against Barbados.
Against the U.S., “Michael got the final kill for the win,” his mom, Lori, told Peace Arch News by email.
Other B.C. athletes on the team were Langley’s Brodie Hofer, FynnianMcCarthy from Lake Country and Coltyn Liu (Vancouver).
