MANILA, Philippines — Fifi Sharma drew inspiration from the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) as she expressed hope for Philippine volleyball to one day compete consistently at a world-class level.
The Akari Chargers middle blocker and national team standout, who skipped the 2026 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Women’s Nations Cup in Candon City last June, shared her aspirations after watching elite international teams up close.
“That we get to experience playing like this — this level of atmosphere, this level of play. Hopefully, eventually, we will reach this kind of level in the near future,” Sharma said.
Known for speaking out on athlete welfare and reforms, the 25-year-old has remained vocal about improving the national volleyball program.
Sharma debuted for Alas Pilipinas in 2024 and played a key role in the country’s historic bronze medal finish in the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup.
Watching the VNL matches at the PhilSports Arena, she admitted feeling inspired by the high level of competition.
“It’s always inspiring to watch international-level volleyball, especially here in our home country,” she added.
With the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) On Tour set to begin on July 8, where Akari Chargers will face ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles, Sharma also pointed out the gap between local and international play.
“I think we still have a long way to go in terms of reaching the international level. But having this kind of exposure here and making it accessible for Filipinos is a big help in developing athletes in the country,” she said.
