| Lausanne, Switzerland, 2011 – Eleven teams out of the 16 due to participate in the FIVB Women’s Junior World Championship in July have already been determined and in this "state of play" report we review who has qualified and who still has the job ahead of them.
Many countries are already beginning to prepare for the 15th edition of the tournament, which was founded in 1977 alongside the men’s competition and this year will take place in Lima and Trujillo in Peru from July 22-31, marking the second time Peru host the tournament after playing hosts in 1989.
The last Women’s Junior World Championship took place in Tijuana and Mexicali, Mexico in 2009 with Germany seeing off the Dominican Republic in the final to seal not only their first gold medal at the event, but also their first podium finish. Brazil completed the honours with victory over Bulgaria for bronze.
However the defending champions are yet to reach the 2011 tournament as CEV qualification begins in May with five vacancies up for grabs with 18 countries split across four pools. The only side from Europe to have guaranteed their place in Peru are 2010 CEV Women’s Junior Championship winners Italy, who didn't participate in the 2009 edition and finished fifth in 2007.
The Dominican Republic will be looking to go one better this time around as one of NORCECA’s representatives. They finished second after losing in straight sets to the Germany in the final, but the side will fancy their chances this year. Joining them from NORCECA will be Cuba, who finished ninth in 2009 and USA, who ended the tournament in a disappointing 12th.
Japan and Korea both return to the tournament this year as well, joining China from Asia who finished tenth in 2009. The Chinese will be eager to rediscover the form that has seen them finish on the podium nine times since the tournament’s inception, including their championship winning run in 1995. Meanwhile, Japan will aim to put 2009 behind them (when they failed to qualify for the tournament) and focus on improving on the bronze medal they won in 2007. Elsewhere Korea, who won the first two editions of the Women’s Junior World Championship, return for the first time since 2005.
Egypt and Tunisia, who were both absent from the 2009 competition, return to the biennial contest. The last time Egypt took part, in 2007, they finished 12th while this is only Tunisia’s second championship, a 13th place finish in 1995 the only other honour they have had at the tournament.
Finally, six-time winners of the Women’s Junior World Championship Brazil will be desperate to win back the title they let slip in 2009 as they and Peru represent South America. Brazil still managed a podium finish on their last outing but will want to return to the top step while Peru are welcomed back to the competition for the first time since 1995.
|
