Men’s teams getting ready for 2011 FIVB Volleyball World Cup
Men’s national teams of various countries are getting ready for the upcoming FIVB World Cup in Japan following the successful completion of the women’s edition, the 2011 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Cup is scheduled to take centre stage on Sunday, November
20. A total of 12 teams will be on board to contest their game skills in front of an international audience. This is going to be an important edition of the tournament as it will offer Olympic tickets to three successful teams of the competition.
In the first round of the tournament, teams will be divided into two groups:
Site A – Serbia, Argentina, Poland, Cuba, Iran, and Japan
Site B – China, United States, Italy, Russia, Egypt, and Brazil
The Nippon Gaishi Hall in Nagoya, Japan, will set up the field of play for group 1 teams, while the group 2 teams will travel to Kagoshima Arena in Kagoshima. The grid of 12 teams in both groups has the finest teams in the world. Japan qualified for the
competition for being the host nation. Five teams captured their respective continental titles, while four teams earned their spots due to the highest ranking on the world chart. Lastly, two teams were sent to the FIVB World Cup on wildcards. Hence, the competition
is surely going to be a tough one. It will put the participants to a real test of skills and temperament.
Japanese volleyball has a lot of expectations from their current squad. The home team has undergone extensive training and practice for the World Cup. They have set an aim to finish in the top three, in order to qualify for the London Olympics. Japan will
open the tournament by taking on the Iranian team. The two Asian teams share a great rivalry whereas the fans are already psyched to see these two battling for the supremacy on centre court. Iranian team is mentored by legendary Julio Velasco who has done
tremendously well for the team in recent years. Japan will have to display great effort, in order to overcome Iran.
Likewise, Polish and Serbian teams are also considered as the top contenders for an Olympic berth in Site A. All medallists from the 2008 Olympic Games have been placed in Group B. Brazil and Russia are two pre-favourites of the contest. Russia has most
number of medals since the beginning of this event, while Brazil comes second on the list. Caribbean team from Cuba and Italian hotshots are also up for the Olympic spots. Italy will play under the tag of defending champion as they secured the world title
in 2007.
The world has to wait and see for few more days until the tournament is officially opened. Hard work will be the key of success for any team in the competition. Check back for latest updates regarding the event.
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