DESPITE the special grade of sand for beach volleyball at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games arriving over a month late, Olympic Committee president Dianne Henderson is assuring the public there will be no changes to the sport's schedule.

Trinidad and Tobago will host the games for the first time which will begin on August 4 and end August 11.

Over 1,000 athletes representing 70 countries will compete in athletics/para-athletics, cycling, swimming, triathlon, rugby sevens, beach volleyball and fast five netball.

Beach volleyball was initially set to be held at Pigeon Point Beach, Tobago but in April, the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) opted for a facility at Black Rock.

On Saturday, during an interview on I955 FM, Sport Minister Shamfa Cudjoe said the sand was not yet here from Guyana and that she and the committee were worried.

She said the THA told her it would be shipped from Guyana around 1 am on Saturday and arrive on Sunday by 2am.

She said all facilities were supposed to be ready by the end of June and that test/practice matches were to be held in July.

In addition, she said, she had been trying to get in contact with THA executives to discuss this hurdle for weeks but to no avail.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, she said the sand finally arrived, adding: "Better late than never!

"Hoping to get a test match in before Friday.

"As the saying goes, 'God will help us.' Commonwealth Youth Games Trinbago 2023. Let's go!"

During both interviews, Cudjoe had said the schedule for beach volleyball - which begins on Saturday - may need to be shifted owing to this delay.

Speaking to Newsday on Monday, Henderson said the sand is now being "spread out appropriately.

"No schedule will be shifted. The schedule stands."

She added that a press release with updates on the games will be issued later today.

The post Sand arrives for Commonwealth Youth Games beach volleyball in Tobago appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.