After two successful years in Japan, Botswana’s well-travelled volleyball export, Igobe Sikuku is on the move again.
The Tutume titan’s latest adventure has taken him to the remote, icy East Asian nation of Mongolia, where he has signed a five-month contract with Premier League club, Natur Bucks.
Only formed in 2019, the team, which boasts over 41, 000 Facebook followers, is based in the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar.
Sandwiched between Russia and China, Mongolia is notorious for its long, inhospitable winters, with temperatures in the country regularly plummeting to -30!
Speaking to Voice Sport about this unlikely new direction in his career, the 30-year-old high-flyer said simply, “Moving here was a way of trying to understand Asian volleyball and above all to gain more experience. My season in Japan was fine, it’s just my team didn’t do well but I was still ranked the second top scorer in the league.”
Sikuku, who touched down in Mongolia on 31 October, is confident that playing in yet another completely foreign environment will help his game evolve to another level.
“My target in Mongolia is to play good volleyball and challenge myself to be a consistent and reliable player, one who is able to handle high-pressure situations,” said Sikuku, adding he also plans to use the platform to show-off his skills to potential suitors.
The former Diphatsa star has enjoyed a promising start to life at Natur Bucks, helping his new club win three of their first five league games.
This includes a man-of-the-match performance in their last outing, where Sikuku scored an impressive 23 points to strengthen his side’s hold of fourth-place in the seven-team division.
It continues his hot streak from the 2023/24 season, when Sikuku’s power and prowess helped drag former team, Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler to a 6th placed finish in Japan’s 10-team V.League Division 2.
Prior to that, BW’s volleyball pin-up turned out for OFI Crete in the Greek A1 League, after spending a season with Hapoel Jerusalem in Israel.
Before making the switch to Europe, Sikuku launched his professional career in Kuwait, where he spent two happy years after signing for Al Sahel in 2019.
Despite all he has achieved in the sport, the lanky spiker, who turned 30 last month, believes his best years lie ahead of him.
Admitting his nomadic tendencies, the trailblazing Motswana explained it is the only way he can boost his portfolio.
“I’m the first male player to play professional indoor volleyball from Botswana and there is no point of reference therefore it becomes a challenge and disadvantage for me as a player. Normally my CV is sent to a club and I compete with others players from well known countries like Russia, Poland, Brazil, France and Italy who all have a point of reference. But for me, I have to build that foundation that I can use to advocate for myself. That is why I move from one club to another such that I show whoever wants to scout me the benefit of the doubt. For me to be in Mongolia, they had to pay flights; so you can’t just invest when you’re not convinced that the person you are bringing in will deliver!”
However, like a Debonairs pizza delivery man, delivering is something Sikuku has made a habit of in his distinguished career!
