The Serbs celebrate victory against Puerto Rico and qualification for the Beijing Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan, May 23, 2008 – Serbia became the first of four teams to book their ticket to the 2008 Beijing Games at the Women’s Olympic World Qualification Tournament after downing Puerto Rico in straight sets in the second match on Friday at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
It is the first time a Women’s team from Serbia, including the former Yugoslavia, has qualified for the Olympic Games.
The 2006 World Championship bronze medal winner, ranked No. 7 in the world, eased past their world No. 19 NORCECA opponents 25-12, 25-18, 25-18 in just 1 hour to collect 10 points from a perfect 5-0 record so far, enough to ensure they are the ninth of 12 teams to qualify for Beijing.
Italy, Brazil, USA, Algeria, Cuba and Venezuela and Russia have already booked their tickets through the 2007 FIVB World Cup or Continental Qualification Tournaments while China has qualified as the host country.
The best three teams plus the best Asian team (even if any of the best three are Asian) qualify for Beijing at the Women's Olympic qualifier here in Tokyo.
An elated Jelena Nikolic, who plays her Club Volleyball in Japan for VC Takefuji Bamboo, said she was struggling to explain her feelings.
"I felt pleasure that I never felt before in my life. It is the dream of every sportsman to go to the Olympics and only our girls and our staff know how hard it was to reach it," said the 26-year-old wing spiker. "We had many, many problems this year. The team was not always complete, with a lot of injuries. It seems like we played with one heart more than ever."
Serbia still has two matches to play against Poland on May 24 and host Japan on May 25.
The ruthless Serbians displayed their blocking and spiking talents soon after the match began against Puerto Rico – top spiker Jovana Brakocevic, who clinched a match high 18 points, attacked viciously from the left, Javana Vesovic scored block points one by one, which limited the ace spiker Aurea Cruz of Puerto Rico to only 12 points compared with 23 points she got in the previous match against Kazakhstan, and setter Maja Ognjenovic made quick and clever pass for her teammates to attack.
Puerto Rico tried their best in the match to step up blocking and tighten defense but with little effect. There was little way for the Puerto Rican players to change the course of the match.
“We played at a high level and with very good concentration,” said Serbia Head Coach Zoran Terzic.
“This is the first time in the history of Women’s Volleyball, either in Serbia or the former Yugoslavia, to qualify for the Olympic Games.
“I am very, very, very happy and satisfied with the outcome. I would like to express my congratulation and thanks to our players.”
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