As it takes two to tango, so too, it takes a partner to complete a beach volleyball team. Rikki found his perfect match close to home. His cousin Nyree, sister of Raffi the UK team organiser (come on keep up, I am only scratching the cousinly surface here) is married to the fabulous Dr. Rob. Rob is German, 6 foot 4, a neuroscientist, has actually played volley ball before, is ten years younger than Rikki and only 20 years older than every other Pan Armenian Games (PAG) participant. Plus he is game. Rob and Rikki have had something of a bromance from first meeting and this is only the latest in a long line of adventures together.
We have already established that age, skill or experience are no impediment to R&R representing the UK in the PAG. No matter that genuine athletes from the diaspora hailing from Australia, Argentina, France, Germany, Turkey and other far flung places join in Yerevan to compete. The further spoke in the wheel is that Rikki embarked on his training this January in New York where as Rob did so in London. Their teamwork will thus be somewhat intuitive rather than based on working side by side.
Play on!
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