VOLLEYBALL – BAHRAIN must focus on performing at their highest level, one possession at a time, at the upcoming 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Men.
This is stressed by senior men’s volleyball national team head coach Jorge Alberto Elgueta, as the kingdom’s spikers gear up to face some of the continent’s volleyball giants from June 2 to 9 at Isa Sports City in Riffa.
“Any game, it will be very hard,” the Argentinian tactician and former middle blocker, who represented his country at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and in 2004 in Athens, told the GDN.
“I told my players to put in their minds: every ball will be a difficult ball. We will have tough games, and we need to be together mentally and focus on that.
“We need to take care about us, our performance, and after that, everything will come.”
The Bahrainis have been training for the top-level Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) tournament sometimes up to three times a day, and Elgueta said that he is happy with their progress thus far.
“Everything has been good, I am very happy with the team,” he said. “We have already been together for four weeks. The first three weeks were very hard because we just finished the league and then we went straight to the national team.”
The nationals had an impressive showing in last year’s edition of the tournament, finishing as surprise silver-medallists. They lost to Thailand in the final, but made national sporting history as they played in their first-ever title-decider at the senior men’s level in any tournament under the AVC.
This year, Bahrain begin their medal bid in Pool A of the preliminary round, where they will immediately take on the likes of world number 31 China and the Philippines, both of whom Elgueta said are dangerous opponents.
“This tournament is not easy, most of them will come with a full team, a strong team; especially the teams that played in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) last year, as they need the ranking to go back, like China,” Elgueta said.
“About the Philippines, we know little about them for now. Last year, Bahrain beat them 3-0 in this same competition, but this year it is totally different.”
Pool B consists of the Thais, Kazakhstan, and world number 49 Pakistan, while Pool C features world number 28 South Korea, Indonesia, and world number 22 Qatar. Pool D comprises world number 35 Australia, world number 43 Chinese Taipei, and Vietnam.
Games will be played at Isa Sports City’s Isa bin Rashid Volleyball Arena, and Elgueta is calling on the kingdom’s volleyball fans to come and support the national team.
“I hope our fans will come,” he said. “Bahrain are one of the best in the Gulf, in Asia, and amongst the Arab countries; the league, the players, everything.
“I hope they come to push and support us and be behind us.”
The winners of this year’s AVC Challenge Cup for Men will claim a berth in this year’s FIVB Volleyball Challenger Cup, due to take place in July.
Bahrain, who are currently ranked 67th in the world, are training with a 21-player squad, which will be trimmed to 14 the week before the competition. The list currently features top names from reigning Isa bin Rashid Bahrain Volleyball League champions Dar Kulaib, Crown Prince’s Cup winners Al Ahli, Muharraq, Al Nasser, Nabih Saleh and Al Shabab.
The 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Men is the first of two top volleyball events set to be hosted by the kingdom this year. Bahrain will also be staging the 15th Asian Men’s U18 Volleyball Championship from July 28 to August 4, which is set to feature 16 youth national squads.
BAHRAIN’S 21-MEMBER SQUAD
Outside hitters: Mohammed Yaqoob, Nasser Anan, Mahmoud Abdulwahed, Sayed Al Abrar, Sayed Ahmed Murtadah
Opposites: Ali Ebrahim, Sayed Hashem Issa, Ebrahim Mohammed, Mohammed Anan
Setters: Mahmood Al Afyah, Hussain Mansoor, Mohammed Hadi
Middle blockers: Mohammed Jassim, Ayman Isa, Hassan Al Warqaa, Hassan Al Shakhouri, Mohammed Omar, Hani Ali Alawi
Liberos: Ayman Harwana, Abbas Abdulla Abbas, Mohammed Ahmed
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))