))
FRANCE AND THE NETHERLANDS CERTAIN FOR ATHENS!
Final Olympic Qualification Tournament
Luxembourg, May 30, 2004. Whilst the national men’s team of France won their seven matches during the Olympic Qualification tournament in Tokyo, Japan, achieving an impressive 7:0-ratio, the Netherlands qualified in Madrid (ESP), beating Cameroon, Cuba and Spain, who finished third.
Knowing that they could only qualify by winning the tournament in Tokyo
(JAP) the French team of coach Philippe Blain kept their cool, losing
only two sets in the whole tournament. Whilst France stormed through
their first five matches suppressing challenging opponents such as China
and Korea in straight sets, they seemed intimidated by the 10,000
Japanese spectators cheering their home team. After leading 2:1 against
Japan, having lost the opening set, the Japanese fought back and forced
the decision in the tiebreak. A close 11:9-lead by the French, however,
was sufficient to book the fifth set 15:12, taking another step towards
the Summer Games 2004 with only one more match left to play. Chances for
France’s final opponent, namely group last Algeria, to rock the boat on
the final competition day were very little. Hence, the French squad
gained another 3:0-victory, finishing as tournament first and qualifying
for the Olympic Games in Athens (GRE).
France was, however, not
the last European team to obtain a ticket to the Olympic Games. In
yesterday’s matches during the Olympic Qualification tournament in
Madrid (ESP) the Netherlands guaranteed a place for Athens by winning
their third and last match against Spain 3:0. The latter named finished
the tournament as third, booking only one victory against Cameroon.
Qualified European men’s teams for Olympic Games in Athens (GRE):
Greece, France, Italy, Poland, Netherlands, Russia, Serbia Montenegro
Qualified European women’s teams for Olympic Games in Athens (GRE):
Germany, Greece, Italy, Russia
Results from Tokyo, Japan:
|
May 22 |
CAN - IRI |
3:0 |
25:20, 25:20, 28:26 |
|
May 22 |
KOR - CHN |
0:3 |
19:25, 23:25, 22:25 |
|
May 22 |
AUS - FRA |
0:3 |
18:25, 28:30, 26:28 |
|
May 22 |
ALG - JPN |
0:3 |
14:25, 15:25, 18:25 |
|
May 23 |
IRI - KOR |
3:0 |
25:18, 25:21, 25:16 |
|
May 23 |
FRA - CAN |
3:0 |
25:22, 25:23, 25:21 |
|
May 23 |
ALG - AUS |
0:3 |
17:25, 22:25, 16:25 |
|
May 23 |
JPN - CHN |
2:3 |
25:27, 25:20, 22:25, 25:22, 16:18 |
|
May 25 |
CHN - IRI |
3:1 |
25:16, 25:23, 31:33, 25:22 |
|
May 25 |
KOR - FRA |
0:3 |
16:25, 13:25, 16:25 |
|
May 25 |
CAN - ALG |
3:0 |
25:13, 25:16, 25:21 |
|
May 25 |
AUS - JPN |
3:2 |
21:25, 25:17, 25:14, 19:25, 15:13 |
|
May 26 |
FRA - CHN |
3:0 |
25:21, 38:36, 25:21 |
|
May 26 |
AUS - CAN |
3:0 |
25:19, 25:19, 26:24 |
|
May 26 |
ALG - KOR |
0:3 |
21:25, 15:25, 19:25 |
|
May 26 |
JPN - IRI |
2:3 |
22:25, 29:27, 25:18, 21:25, 12:15 |
|
May 28 |
KOR - AUS |
1:3 |
21:25, 15:25, 25:21, 19:25 |
|
May 28 |
IRI - FRA |
0:3 |
31:33, 19:25, 21:25 |
|
May 28 |
CHN - ALG |
3:0 |
25:15, 25:16, 25:15 |
|
May 28 |
CAN - JPN |
3:0 |
25:15, 25:17, 27:25 |
|
May 29 |
ALG - IRI |
0:3 |
17:25, 18:25, 13:25 |
|
May 29 |
CAN - KOR |
3:1 |
25:21, 21:25, 25:22, 25:18 |
|
May 29 |
AUS - CHN |
3:0 |
25:21, 25:20, 25:19 |
|
May 29 |
JPN - FRA |
2:3 |
23:25, 25:21, 18:25, 25:21, 12:15 |
|
May 30 |
IRI - AUS |
3:0 |
25:19, 26:24, 25:23 |
|
May 30 |
CHN - CAN |
3:0 |
25:22, 25:19, 25:17 |
|
May 30 |
FRA - ALG |
3:0 |
25:16, 25:11, 25:13 |
|
May 30 |
KOR - JPN |
0:3 |
20:25, 21:25, 23:25 |
Final ranking:
- France, 2. Australia, 3. China, 4. Canada, 5. Iran, 6. Japan, 7. Korea, 8. Algeria
Results from Madrid (ESP):
|
May 28 |
CMR - NED |
0:3 |
21:25, 25:27, 18:25 |
|
May 28 |
ESP - CUB |
1:3 |
17:25, 25:14, 23:25, 16:25 |
|
May 29 |
CMR - ESP |
0:3 |
14:25, 17:25, 20:25 |
|
May 29 |
NED - CUB |
3:1 |
25:19, 30:28, 25:27, 25:20 |
|
May 30 |
CUB - CMR |
3:0 |
25:20, 25:23, 25:13 |
|
May 30 |
ESP - NED |
0:3 |
20:25, 20:25, 24:26 |
Final ranking:
1. Netherlands, 2. Cuba,
3. Spain, 4. Cameroon
More on the web at www.cev.lu
Enjoy & Be There:
10-13 June 2004: Beach
Volleyball European Championships Final, Timmendorfer Strand, Germany.
8-11 July 2004: Under 20 European Beach Volleyball Championships, Lendava,
Slovenia.
10-11 July 2004: Final Four European League,
Opava, Czech Republic.
29 July – 1 August 2004: Under 23
European Beach Volleyball Championships, Brno, Czech Republic.
5-8 August 2004: Under 18 European Beach Volleyball Championships, Myslowice,
Poland.
2 September 2004: Drawing of lots 2004-2005 Indesit
European Champions’ League, Vienna, Austria.
3-11
September 2004: Women’s Under 19 European Championships, Bardejov,
Presov, Slovakia.
4-12 September 2004: Men’s Under 20
European Championships, Zagreb, Croatia.
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