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Veronica Gwaze
Cyprus-based volleyball outside hitter of repute, Douglas Choto is in dilemma. At a time he was supposed to be back in the country from his base in Cyprus to join his family, the Covid-19 pandemic struck, leaving him stuck in a foreign land.

Apart from having time with family after many months, the 25-year-old Choto was expecting to don the national colours and feature at the Volleyball African Club Championships in Egypt. But the games were shelved.

“This side is not bad for me.  It is heartbreaking to be stuck here because I should have been in Zimbabwe had it not been for the outbreak.

“It is worrisome when a global outbreak hits at a time when you are away from family.

“You don’t know their situation there, likewise they do not know how I am faring here. It would have been better to be together in one place but I wouldn’t say I am ‘trapped’ because we communicate,” he says.

The less famous of the Choto brothers started playing volleyball in 2008 at Mazowe Boys’ High School before proceeding to Cornway College for his Advanced Level studies on scholarship.

The move came after he abandoned soccer – a sport he believes runs in his DNA, taking from elder brother Dickson Choto, a former Legia Warsaw defender and DC academy founder.

The former Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) Volleyball Club, Zimpost and Stanbic Thunder player left for Cyprus in 2014, on a Civil Engineering scholarship.

Last year, he graduated with a BSc degree in Civil Engineering from Cyprus International University.

The 1,92 metres tall Choto feels betrayed by the Covid-19 outbreak. He graduated without any family member present in Cyprus, hence never got to celebrate his achievement enough.

“The plan was that I was to come for a holiday home and get to celebrate with family and friends, the achievement I accomplished.

“After losing our parents, we felt the huge void they left and that made us very close as siblings. In fact, they are the only family that I have and want to celebrate my every achievement with them.

“When you lose parents, you get to appreciate your siblings more because they are actually the only real thing that you are left with, especially when you are at school-going age,” says Choto.

Before leaving for Cyprus, Choto captained Harare Under-20 team at the National Youth Games.

Later he was to feature in the Under-21 team at the FIVB World Championships Beach Volleyball Zonals in Portugal.

In 2015, he made it on to the beach volleyball team that left an impact in Portugal.

Currently, he turns out for Vakiflar Spor Kulubu (Vakiflar sports club), a club he has spent four years with.

The outside hitter has more than 20 accolades under his belt.

However, Choto is still optimistic of travelling once the outbreak clears.

“I also look forward to joining my former teammates at a date to be announced for the African Club Championships.

“I have not stopped training, I session everyday indoors and hope that everything gets back to normal soon,” he says.