Bahrain to host U21 world volleyball action
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Bahrain is set to host the FIVB Men’s U21 World Championship this summer.
The tournament is set to be held from 7 to 16 July, and it will feature 16 teams from five confederations around the world.
Matches will be played at the Isa bin Rashid Arena at the Bahrain Volleyball Association headquarters at Isa Sports City in Riffa.
The competition is the premier tournament for junior national teams organised by the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), the sport’s global governing body.
This year will mark the fourth time the Kingdom is staging the prestigious event.
Bahrain first hosted the under-21 worlds in 1987, and then did so again in 1997 and most recently in 2019.
Bahrain are also taking part in the world championship having qualified as hosts.
The competing field has been divided into four pools for the preliminary round.
The draw to determine each group was conducted yesterday by the FIVB. The Bahrainis are in Pool A along with Iran, Thailand and Tunisia.
Pool B features defending champions Italy, Brazil, Egypt and Mexico.
Pool C consists of Poland, Bulgaria, Canada and India; while Pool D comprises Argentina, Belgium, the Czech Republic and the US.
The top two teams from each pool will advance to round-robin Pools E and F of the second phase, while the rest will move to Pools G and H to continue the battles for classification from eighth to 16th.
The winners and runners-up of Pools E and F will progress to the semi-finals and eventually determine the medallists.
Bahrain are set to compete for the sixth time in the history of the under-21 worlds.
They have contested in both previous editions in 2019 at home and in 2021, while also playing in 1987, 1989 and 1997.
Their best finish was eighth, twice in 1987 and 2019. In the last tournament, the nationals placed 14th.
Italy claimed the 2021 gold medals after defeating Russia in three sets in the final. Poland captured the bronze medals after beating Argentina in the game for third place.
Bahrain have once again been selected as the venue for a top global or Asian competition.
Next month, the Kingdom will also be staging the 2023 Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship from 14 to 21 May.
Last year, Bahrain hosted the 21st Asian Men’s U20 Volleyball Championship.
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