*** ----> Bahrain power past Tunisia | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Bahrain power past Tunisia

TDT | Manama              

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Hosts Bahrain pulled off an impressive straight-sets victory over Tunisia last night as the highly anticipated FIVB Men’s U21 World Championship 2023 got underway in the Kingdom.

The 16-nation Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) competition is being held under the patronage of Supreme Council for Youth and Sports first deputy president, General Sports Authority chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) chief His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

BOC vice-president His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa attended last night’s matches, as did Bahrain Volleyball Association (BVA) president Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, BVA secretary general Feras Al Helwachi, and other officials.

Joining the Bahrainis as winners on day one were defending champions Italy, Poland, Bulgaria, Iran, Brazil, Argentina and Belgium. Tournament action continues today at the Isa Sports City in Riffa.

The games are scheduled from 11am, with the day’s last fixtures beginning at 8pm. They are to be played between two courts, and entrance is free to all matches. Bahrain got off to a hot start in preliminary round Pool A with their resounding 3-0 (25-22, 25- 12, 25-22) triumph against the Tunisians.

The home team were the aggressors from the start and never faltered en route to the big win. “We were not going to let ourselves lose tonight,” said Bahrain head coach Saber Abdulwahed.

“We are playing at home and it was very important to win our first game.” Skipper Husain Ehsan top scored for the home side with 18 points, 15 of which came in attack, while fellow-outside hitter Sayed Hashem Ali scored 11.

Middle blocker Hasan Warqaa contributed nine points in the win. The nationals are now one step away from virtually securing a place in the next stage amongst the elite eight. They play Thailand tonight in an 8pm fixture.

“Tomorrow is going to be a totally different game; Thailand are a very good team, they play without mistakes, and they have good players technically,” said Abdulwahed. “We must be ready for this next challenge, be much better than today, and hopefully go to the second round.”

Iran triumphed against the Thais 3-1 (25-5, 23-25, 25-13, 25- 21) in yesterday’s other Pool A contest. Iran gave up the second set but reasserted their dominance in the third enroute to closing out their rivals.

Outside hitter Bonehagz Younes Javan and opposite spiker Amir Mohammad Golzadeh had 16 points apiece for Iran, with Javan posting five block points. For the Thais, outside hitter Jakkrit Thanomnoi scored 15 while Panya Bootsamrit and Panupong Kumpumee added seven each.

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Resounding

Defending champions Italy opened their campaign in Pool B with a resounding 3-0 (28-26, 25-14, 25-16) sweep of Mexico. The Italians needed some time in the first set to get into their groove and saved two set points in the opener.

They then rode their momentum to the end. Opposite spiker Alessandro Alberto Bovolenta led the Italians with 20 points, 18 of which were in attack, while outside hitter Orioli Mattia added 10 and middle blocker Filippo Bartolucci finished with eight points.

Italy head coach Matteo Battocchio commented: “It was a strong match. Mexico did a great game, especially in the first set. In the world cup, every match is difficult, especially the first one.”

Battocchio downplayed his side’s tag as defending champions, having won the last edition of the junior worlds in 2021. He said: “We are a totally different team [from then], and there are totally different opposing teams. We play against great teams like Iran, Bulgaria, and Brazil, so we will play and see where we will be.”

Also in Pool B, Brazil outclassed Egypt 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-20). Skipper Buczmiejuk Arthur Bento was their leading scorer with 12 points, while opposite spiker Neufeld Samuel Carazzi de Morias added 11.

Meanwhile, in Pool C, Poland defeated India 3-1 (25-17, 25-14, 20-25, 25-19). Piotr Sliwka scored 18 points to lead the Poles, while Jakub Majchrzak added 13 markers and Tytus Nowik had 12.

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Poland were the champions of the FIVB Boys’ U19 World Championship in 2021, and are hoping to translate that success at this next age-level. “This team won the [under-19] world championship in 2021, so we are reigning world champions,” said setter Kajetan Kubicki.

“Our minds are to win gold, but we don’t think about this. We came here just like another tournament—we want to play every game and win every game, and that’s our plan.”

In the other Pool C game yesterday, Bulgaria edged past a battling Canada 3-1 (25-12, 21-25, 25-20, 27-25). Star player and skipper Aleksandar Nikolov scored 17 points for the winners, including three service winners.

Opposites Georgi Tatarov and Venislav Antov added 13 and 10 points, respectively. Nikolov was part of the Bulgarian side that won the silver medals at the under-19 worlds in 2021, and he says that, with most of that squad competing in this tournament, they are determined to live up to their tag as one of the leading contenders.

“For sure we are one of the favourites, but we have to show some better play in the next games—I’m sure it’s going to come,” Nikolov said. “Ninety-five per cent of the squad has basically been the same for five or six years.

We have very good synergy, even though it didn’t look like it today, but we’re going to show it in the next games.” In Pool D, Argentina and Belgium made winning starts. Argentina defeated the US 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-23), while the Belgians beat Czech Republic 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-22).

Leading Argentina was opposite German Alfredo Gomez with 16 points, 14 in attack, while outside hitter Nahuel Rojas added eight markers. Trenton Moser paced the Americans with 10 points, while Zachary Rama added eight. Ferre Reggers had 15 points to spearhead Belgium in their win, while Jiri Benda had 10 for the Czechs.