Bahrain set to compete in Asian volleyball

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s national volleyball team are getting all geared up to compete in the 21st Asian Senior Men’s Volleyball Championship, which is set to be held in Chiba, Japan. The biennial competition, organised and run by the Asian Volleyball Confederation in cooperation with the Japan Volleyball Association, is scheduled to take place September 12 to 19.

It is set to feature 16 national teams from across the continent, and it also acts as a qualifying event for the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship. Both the gold and silver-medallists book their tickets to the worlds. The Bahrainis have been preparing for the Asian championship for the past several weeks locally.

They are scheduled to leave for Japan on Tuesday.

Bahrain have been drawn in Pool A for the tournament, where they will be facing hosts Japan, who were also the bronze-medallists at the last edition of the competition, India and fellow-Gulf side Qatar. Defending champions Iran, Pakistan, Thailand and Hong Kong are in Pool B, while Pool C consists of reigning silver-medallists Australia, China, Sri Lanka and Kuwait. South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia make up Pool D. Bahrain are coached by Marco Antonio Queiroga from Brazil and will be travelling with a 14-player squad.

The Bahrainis are scheduled to open their campaign against India on the first day of action on September 12. They will then take on the Japanese the following evening, before facing off with Qatar on September 14.

The top two teams from each group make it to the round of eight, which will see the eight qualified teams divided into Pools E and F.

 The remaining sides will be in Pools G and H which will determine ninth through 16th place on the final classification. The semi-finals are scheduled for September 18, while the bronze and gold medal games are set for September 19. This year’s championship will be Bahrain’s 10th participation in the continent’s leading event.

Bahrain first competed in 1979 as hosts, and last appeared in 2015 when they finished 12th. Bahrain’s best classification was eighth, which they achieved in the 1987 edition.

 Iran won the previous edition of the championship after defeating Australia in the final. Japan were the bronze-medallists.