VTAM CONFIDENCE BOOSTER ON EVE OF OLYMPIC QUALIFIER
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TRIATHLON, May 30, 2012: The Australian Men’s Volleyball Team (VTAM) has received a huge confidence boost on the eve of this week’s Olympic Qualification Tournament in Tokyo.
VTAM pushed reigning
Asian Champions Iran to five sets in a scrimmage match in Tokyo last
night, going down 17-15 in the fifth and deciding set.
Iran came out all guns blazing to win the opening two sets against the
determined VTAM, 25-22 and 25-22 before the Australians showed
outstanding attacking skills to fight back and win the next two sets
25-23 and 25-22.
Western Australian 21-year-old Outside, Luke Smith at 79 percent kill statistics and zero errors was Australia’s best.
Australia’s High Performance Manager Matt Sebbens said: “That’s a great
preparation for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament starting on Friday.
From all reports the boys attacked very well with a 57 percent kill
record with Luke Smith outstanding.
“To come back from two sets to love down and force a fifth set against
the Asian Champions, who are ranked 12 in the world and one of the
tournament favourites will be a huge confidence booster for the boys.”
The VTAM, currently ranked 22 in the world, will start its bid for only a
third Olympic appearance against Venezuela (WR16) on Friday.
The Australians have only previously appeared in two Olympics, Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004.
After facing Venezuela, VTAM will then meet Puerto Rico (WR17) on
Saturday (June 2), Iran on Tuesday, June 5; tournament favourites and
world number 7 ranked Serbia on Wednesday, June 6; hosts Japan (15th) on
Thursday, June 7; Korea (20th) on Saturday, June 9, before the final
game against China (10th) on Sunday, June 10.
The winner of the tournament will qualify for the 12-team Olympic
competition in London 2012 and will be joined by the best placed Asian
team. If the winner is an Asian team then the next best Asian team will
also qualify.
The Australians arrived in Tokyo last Thursday after a month long
training and competition-based camp at the AIS European Training Centre
in Varese, Italy, which included a series of warm up matches and a drawn
four game series against the Netherlands.
The Australian Squad:
| Aidan Zingel DOB: Nov 19, 1990 Home: NSW Club: Bluvolley Verona, Italy Position: Middle Height: 207 Weight: 102 Nathan Roberts DOB: Feb 17 1986 Home: SA Club: CMC Ravenna, Italy Position: Outside Height: 199 Weight: 90 Travis Passier DOB: April 26, 1989 Home: QLD Club: M. Roma Volley, Italy Position: Middle Height: 205 Weight: 99 Igor Yudin DOB: June 17, 1987 Home: Vic Club: Yaroslavich, Russia Position: Outside Height: 199 Weight: 81 Harrison Peacock DOB: January 31, 1981 Home: SA Club: Linkoping, Volleyball Club, Sweden Position: Setter Height: 192 Weight: 90 Andrew Grant DOB: April 22, 1985 Home: QLD Club: AIS, Australia Position: Middle Height: 206 Weight: 93 Adam White DOB: November 8, 1989 Home: Qld Club: Lang Henkel Volley, Netherlands Position: Outside Height: 203 Weight: 89 |
Jacques Borgeaud |
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