No 124 March 2004 English edition

FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE Nike partners with FIVB bringing new excitement to the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour Nike, the world’s leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories, partnered with the FIVB to be the exclusive competitive apparel supplier for the 2004 Swatch-FIVB World Tour, the FIVB announced in February.

Both parties came together at the 2003 Dain Blanton (USA) in a Nike shirt at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he took home Austrian Grand Slam event in Klagen- the gold medal with partner, furt, and, along with taking in some excit- ing Beach Volleyball action, delegates from the two organizations enjoyed some Swatch-FIVB World Tour higher than new uniforms to be worn by Beach Vol- highly productive discussions. ever.” leyball athletes.

Indeed, so-much-so that the FIVB and “We are excited to partner with the “The FIVB has always given great atten- Nike eventually agreed on a partnership, Swatch-FIVB World Tour,” Nike Director tion to the uniforms of athletes and offi- which includes the sports manufacturer of Olympic Sports Marketing Eddie cials, which play a significant part in the providing highly innovative competition Brown said. “This allows us to bring our Beach Volleyball image,” Mr. Squeo said. apparel for players (tank tops), referees, years of apparel innovation to even more “Therefore with Nike’s innovative ideas FIVB delegates, volunteers and staff on Beach Volleyball athletes. In addition, we we look forward to further developing the Swatch-FIVB World Tour. look forward to gaining further insights such a project in order to portray the most into their elite performance needs important values of our sport.” "This new relationship with Nike is through our never-ending quest to build indicative of the tremendous success the world’s greatest athletic product.” The 2004 Swatch - FIVB World Tour of Beach Volleyball," FIVB President began its landmark season on March 9 in Dr. Rubén Acosta said. "Nike is According to Angelo Squeo, the FIVB’s Brazil and by the season’s end it will have renowned for its expertise in sports- Beach Volleyball Coordinator, the part- included 27 tournaments (15 men and 12 wear manufacturing and this will lift nership represents exciting times ahead: women), of which 18 are included in the the status of the Swatch-FIVB World “Nike has recognized the huge potential Olympic qualifying process and offered Tour higher than ever". of Beach Volleyball and that makes us all US$5,480,000 in Prize Money and Bonus very proud.” Mr. Squeo continued; “The Pool. Among the highlights contained in mission is to create a trend, and, with the this year’s Swatch - FIVB World Tour is The new line of competition apparel will professional look of the athletes’ uni- what promises to be an exciting three-leg also be used at the 2004 Summer Olympic forms we believe that we can attract Grand-Slam which will take in the cities Games, due to be held in Athens between many new fans to the sport.” of Berlin, Marseille and Klagenfurt. And, August 14- 29, by some of the world’s of course, the final assignment of 24 best Beach Volleyball teams as well as “I believe that we here at the FIVB are cre- men’s and 24 women’s vacancies for the officials. ating a pool of strong sponsors who are forthcoming Summer all working together with us in an excit- will be decided. “This new relationship with Nike is ing environment. It is an excellent way indicative of the tremendous success of for Beach Volleyball to grow.” www.fivb.org/ Beach Volleyball,” FIVB President Dr. Rubén Acosta said. “Nike is renowned Mr. Squeo went on to say that both Nike For more news and updates visit for its expertise in sportswear manufac- and the FIVB would essentially be work- our website at: www.fivb.org turing and this will lift the status of the ing as a team in terms of the design of the

Find out more at www.fivb.org VOLLEYBALL France name squad for Tokyo

DRAWING OF LOTS COMPLETED FOR MEN’S WORLD The President of the French Volleyball OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENTS Federation Jacques Shaw, on the proposi- tion of the national coach Philippe Blain The Drawing of Lots for the three Men’s Venezuela and Poland join Portugal, and and national Technical Director Michel World Olympic Qualifying Tournaments Spain host Cameroon, Cuba and the Cogne, announced France’s 18-strong to be held in Japan, Portugal and Spain in Netherlands. The winners of each tour- squad for the Men’s World Olympic May was completed in Tokyo in February nament will claim an Olympic ticket to Qualification Tournament to be held in under the supervision of FIVB Executive Athens. Tokyo from May 22-30. Vice-President Dr. Saleh A. Bin Nasser from Saudi Arabia and FIVB Executive The four tickets on offer across the three France will play Japan, Algeria, Canada, Member Professor Hiroshi Toyoda from tournaments will complete the men’s Korea, China, Australia and Iran with the Japan. Volleyball Olympic Games qualification winner and the best Asian team claiming process with a total of 12 teams. tickets to Athens 2004. The 18-man squad The World Olympic Qualifying tourna- will be trimmed to 12 prior to the tourna- ment in Japan from May 22-30, which The eight men’s teams already qualified ment. also doubles as the Asian Continental for the 2004 Athens Olympics are Greece, Olympic Qualifying tournament, will see Brazil, Italy, Serbia and Montenegro, Rus- France: Yohan Cohen, Hubert Henno, the hosts entertain Algeria, Canada, sia, USA, Argentina andTunisia. Dominique Daquin, Andy Ces, Frédéric France, Korea, China, Australia and Iran Gibert, Jean Charles Monneraye, with one Olympic ticket going to the win- Meanwhile, the final four teams to com- Stéphane Antiga, Laurent Capet, Frantz ner and then a second Olympic ticket plete the women’s Volleyball Olympic Granvorka, Vincent Montmeat, Loïc De being awarded to the top Asian team. In Games qualification process will be Kergret, Loic Lemarrec, Marc Schalk, the event an Asian team wins the tourna- found at a World Olympic Qualification Philippe Barca-Cysique, Guillaume Sam- ment, the next best-Asian team will claim tournament in Japan from May 8-16, ica, Mathias Patin, Oliver Kieffer, the second ticket as the Continental which also doubles as the Asian Conti- Sébastien Frangolacci. Olympic qualifier. nental Olympic Qualification tourna- ment, with the hosts playing off with The World Olympic Qualifying tourna- Korea, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Italy, Portugal coach says ments in Portugal, from May 21-23, and Russia, Puerto Rico and Nigeria for the group is “difficult but beatable” Spain, from May 28-30, sees Kazakhstan, final four tickets. Following the Drawing of Lots ceremony Men’s teams competing at the Olympic Qualification Tournaments held in Tokyo, Japan in February for the three Men’s World Olympic Qualifica- Portugal (May 21-23): tion tournaments (to be held in Portugal, Portugal, Kazakhstan, Venezuela, Poland Spain and Tokyo), head coach of the Por- tuguese side Juan Diaz says his team has Japan (May 22-30): a difficult yet beatable group, which Japan, Algeria, Canada, France, Korea, China, Australia, Iran includes favourites Poland, Venezuela and Kazakhstan, ahead of them to claim Spain (May 28-30): Olympic Games qualification when they Spain, Cameroon, Cuba, the Netherlands. face off in Porto from May 21-23.

“It is a difficult group, but at the same Women’s teams competing at the Olympic Qualification Tournaments time beatable,” he said. “We know Poland well and the Venezuelan team, Japan (May 8-16): while although we do not know Kaza- Japan, Korea, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Italy, Russia, Puerto Rico, Nigeria khstan’s Volleyball, the fact that it is an old Russian republic implies that, by tra- dition, they have great Volleyball skills.” Women’s Teams already Qualified for Men’s Teams already Qualified for the 2004 Olympics in Athens the 2004 Olympics in Athens “It’s important that we are playing Poland because, theoretically, they are Greece (Host) Greece (Host) more beatable than France or the Nether- lands (who were the other two European China Brazil sides drawn to play in Tokyo and Madrid respectively).” Brazil Italy Venezuela, ranked 11th on the FIVB USA Serbia & Montenegro World Rankings (nine places better than Portugal and two places behind Poland), Dominican Republic Russia pose as one of the biggest threats to Por- tugal’s hopes. (continued on page 2) Germany USA www.fivb.org/ Kenya Argentina For more information on other Cuba Tunisia teams go to: www.fivb.org

2 FIVB X-Press No 124 March 2004 VOLLEYBALL Top honours for Chinese OTHER VOLLEYBALL NEWS women’s head coach The head coach of the Chinese Women’s Volleyball team Chen Zhonghe was (continued from page 2) China aim for gold selected as one of China’s 10 Inspirational Persons of the Year in 2003 in an annual It will be the third consecutive time that Women’s Volleyball World Cup champi- campaign organized by China Central Portugal disputes an Olympic Qualify- ons China are setting their sights on fur- Television in February to select people ing Pool with Venezuela. In the two meet- ther success at the forthcoming Olympic who have inspired the country and ings to date, both sides have won one Games in Athens this summer. The ath- moved its people during the year. match with Portugal beating Venezuela letes arrived in Zhangzhou, in Southeast- in 1996 (3-1) and Venezuela beating Por- ern China earlier this month for an inten- tugal in 2000 (3-2). sive month-long training regime which has been taking place behind closed The meetings with Poland, who have a doors. gold medal and 11 top-10 finishes to their name in 13 World Championship appear- Asked if the World Cup winners would ances, are more recent. In the 2002 World settle for a place among the top three in League the first two matches were split Athens, team manager Li Quangiang (3-2, 2-3) in Portugal before Poland won responded, “That’s the priority, but at the both clashes at home 3-1 and recorded a same time, we will make every effort for similar victory at the 2002 World Cham- the gold medal.” pionship. “The players have been steadily improv- “It is necessary to prepare well, especially ing since this team was established in mentally, so that we will be able to reach 2001, and the World Cup victory last year our objectives and gain qualification for boosted our confidence,” Li Quangiang the Olympic Games of Athens,” Diaz continued. “We are also very aware of the said. “The players have the notion of capabilities of our rivals. All of the play- what they are capable of and they’ll gain ers and coaches here have set a goal Chen Zhonghe has been selected as one of confidence with a lot work, therefore like which is to win in Athens.” China’s 10 Inspirational Persons of the this we will achieve our objectives. It is Year in 2003 that which is found inside the players: the China, who dominated the sport between necessity to fight for qualification.” 1981 and 1986, are under immense pres- sure to deliver in the Olympics due to The 10 people up for the award are Horstink, Kooistra and Cristina their tremendous victory at the World selected from various walks of life, some back for the Netherlands Cup which took place in Japan last of them well-known, others less famous. November and their title winning perfor- But what they have done must be an Netherlands national coach Bert Goed- mance in last year’s World Grand Prix. inspiration to China and its people. koop announced his 18-man squad in The team have become heroines in their Febraury for the final Olympic Qualifica- native land and along with the knowl- Zhonghe led the national women’s team tion tournament for the Athens Games in edge of the strength of their opponents, to an eye-catching victory at the 2003 August and pulled off three surprises by this will add to the pressure within the World Cup in Japan, which completed a recalling the experienced trio of Albert team according to Li Quaniang. “China is remarkable year for the Chinese women Cristina, Robert Horstink and Wytze on a par with the United States, Russia, where they had already collected the 2003 Kooistra in place of youngsters Gerjan Italy and Brazil,” he said. “No team can World Grand Prix title. Huisken, Joram Maan and Dennis van be certain of victory. The competition in der Veen. Athens will be very tough and hard.” 2003 also marked the completion of a triple crown for the Chinese women, Of the 18 players in the squad only 12 will Although confident in their ability, head which has seen them win three major Vol- actually travel to Madrid, Spain to con- coach Chen Zhonghe told reporters he leyball tournaments, namely the World test the tournament with the hosts, was slightly worried his players weren’t Cup (2003), the World Championship Cameroon and Cuba from May 28-30. yet displaying their full capabilities. “We (1986) and the Olympics, since 1984, Only the winner earns a ticket to the will have a tough year in 2004 because when China claimed gold at Los Angeles. Games. our players have not yet reached their peak despite all of the team training we The national women’s Volleyball team is The Netherlands squad: have done over the past three years.” widely acclaimed as a source of great Dirk-Jan van Gendt, Marko Klok, Allan sporting pride amongst ordinary Chi- van de Loo, Rob Bontje (ORTEC.Nesse- Yet despite Chen Zhonghe’s slight reser- nese people and Zhonghe has become lande), Nico Freriks, Jeroen Trommel, vations, China will enter the Olympic renowned for his perseverance, working Erik Schuil, Desi van Waaijen, Joppe Games this summer as many people’s his way up slowly through the coaching Paulides, Albert Cristina (VC Omni- favourites. Indeed, according to Li Quan- ranks since starting his career as an assis- world), Mike van de Goor, Wytze Koois- giang, the current intensive training tant coach 22 years ago. tra, Robert Horstink (Piet Zoomers/D), schedule China is undergoing will only Erik Siebers (AA Drink/Capelle), Kay help to enhance the team’s chances. “The www.fivb.org/ van Dijk (VC Zwolle), Reinder Nummer- training is very important for the dor (Milano, ITA), Guido Görtzen (Peru- Olympic Games. I think they (the play- For team and player profiles go gia, ITA) and (G.del Colle, ers) will be in their best shape in one to: www.fivb.org ITA). month’s time.” FIVB X-Press No 124 March 2004 3 VOLLEYBALL OTHER VOLLEYBALL NEWS [email protected]

USA Volleyball’s 2003 Athletes match) and finished eighth overall in and Team of the Year scoring with 152 points (13.82 per match). On the year, Scott led the team in total Danielle Scott, blocks (89) and hitting percentage (.486) (pictured left) and was second on the team in total and points (433) and points per set (3.38) as the Beach Volley- Team USA finished the season ranked ball team of No. 2 in the world with a record of 29-15. Misty May and Along the way the United States won You can now download the 2003 Kerri Walsh are gold medals at the Pan American Cup World League Final Report from the among the nomi- and the NORCECA Zone Champi- FIVB website. Visit : nees for the 2003 onships and captured bronze medals at United States the World Grand Prix and the World Cup. www.fivb.org/EN/Volleyball/Com- Olympic Com- petitions/WorldLeague/2004/Index. mittee (USOC) At 6-8 and 215 pounds, Nygaard, (pic- asp SportsMan, SportsWoman and Team of tured under) named 2003 Association of the Year honours. Volleyball Professionals (AVP) Most Valuable Player in just his third season on The nominees are the 2003 Athletes and the tour, was a powerful force as he Teams of the Year representing Olympic, teamed with first-year partner Dain Blan- Pan American, Affiliated and Disabled ton to win three tournaments. The duo Sport Organizations within the U.S. Olympic Movement.

Each year the USOC recognizes the top male and top female athletes and the top team as selected by their respective mem- ber organizations. The names of the ath- You can now download the 2003 letes and teams are placed on ballots used World Grand Prix Final Report from to select the USOC SportsMan, Sports- the FIVB website. Visit : Woman and overall Team of the Year. www.fivb.org/EN/Volleyball/Com- petitions/WorldGrandprix/2004/in Members of the USOC Board of Directors dex.asp and Athletes Advisory Council, along with representatives of the national media, comprise the voting panel that selects the USOC SportsMan, Sports- Woman and Team of the Year. also finished second once, seventh twice and ninth once in eight tournaments en Forty-four females and 46 males, as well route to earning 2003 AVP Team of the as 28 teams, are being honored by the Year honors. USOC for their athletic accomplishments in 2003. Nygaard and Blanton also took the inter- national sand by storm, winning in their You can download the 2004 Beach first tournament together on the Swatch- Scott led the USA women’s national Vol- Volleyball Press Kit from our web- leyball team in scoring and blocking at FIVB World Tour (Hellas Open, Rhodes, site. Visit: www.fivb.org the first Olympic qualifier of the qua- Greece, June 8). They also teamed to earn drennial, the World Cup in Japan (Nov. 1- a bronze medal at the French Grand Slam. 15), as Team USAfinished third to reserve a ticket to the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Overall, they finished in the top four Greece. Scott ranked second among all three times in eight matches internation- players on all teams with 40 blocks ally to become the top American pairing in 11 matches (3.64 per on the World Tour rankings.

“Xpress” now also in Arabic!

The FIVB is pleased to announce that our monthly Newsletter, Xpress, is now Download the Xpress from our web- produced in Arabic, in addition to its three regular versions in English, French and Spanish. site in English, French, Spanish or Arabic..Visit: You can download the latest Xpress directly from our site, or send us your com- www.fivb.org/EN/Infomedia/XPre ments and articles to [email protected] ss/index.asp

4 FIVB X-Press No 124 March 2004 VOLLEYBALL the trip. I’m looking forward to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens where Volley- TWO IMPORTANT AND SUCCESSFUL FIVB MEETINGS ball and Beach Volleyball under the lead- ership of the FIVB President Dr. Rubén Acosta will be a great success.” Olympic Games preparation ball and Beach Volleyball are well on right on track track. During the working meeting, Mrs Terp- stra, newly elected President of NeVoBo “ATHOC has worked very hard to meet Mr. Hans Nieukerke, Mr. Joop Alberda a the requirements of the FIVB and a lot of member of the Netherlands Olympic credit must go to them for their fantastic Committee management team and Mr. attitude towards making sure everything Hans Hein the managing director for Pro- is in order for Volleyball and Beach Vol- Volley and Mr. Ron Zwerver, a 1996 Vol- leyball by the time the Olympic Games leyball gold medalist, expressed their begin in August,” Mr Seppey said. “Our passion and determination to get the time in Athens has been very valuable Netherlands back to the top of interna- and we have come away very happy tional Volleyball and asked through their knowing virtually everything is in place detailed project for the support of the to make sure Volleyball and Beach Vol- FIVB. leyball will be great success come August.” “It was a pleasure to be able to seek advice and to be able to discuss the future “The meetings with the FIVB were very and the past of Netherlands Volleyball,” The FIVB and ATHOC inspected both the positive and constructive and we man- said Mr. Nieukerke. “A lot of valuable Volleyball and Beach Volleyball venues. aged to solve a number of issues,” Mr information was exchanged and we came From left to right: Mr. Nikolaos Sofi- Beligratis said. “We have now confirmed away very happy.” anos, Mr. Thanassis Beligratis, Mr. Jean- the final objectives and we are looking Pierre Seppey, Mr. Leonidas Karaiskos, forward to making the sports of Volley- Mr. Franz Schmied ball and Beach Volleyball successful in all departments.”

A delegation from the FIVB consisting of The Olympic Games in August is the the General Manager Mr Jean Pierre highlight on the FIVB calendar this year Seppey and FIVB Controller Mr Franz and the meticulous preparation and Schmied returned from a successful detail that goes into making sure every- three-day inspection visit of the Volley- thing is ready reflects the status of the ball and Beach Volleyball facilities for the event. Volleyball first became an Olympic 2004 Olympic Games in Athens earlier in sport in 1964 in Tokyo, while Beach Vol- March. They returned to Lausanne, leyball made its first appearance in 1996 Switzerland extremely pleased with the in Atlanta. progress of work on all of the facilities and the cooperation of the Athens Organ- From left to right - Mr. Hans Nieukerke, ising Committee (ATHOC). Fruitful meeting between FIVB Mr. Jean-Pierre Seppey, Mrs Erica Terp- and Dutch Volleyball and Sports stra, Mr. Joop Alberda, Mr. Ron Zwerver, The President of the Hellenic Volleyball leaders and Mr. Hans Hein Federation Mr Thanassis Beligratis, deputy vice-president and FIVB Execu- The FIVB welcomed a delegation from tive vice-President Mr Fanis Tsiokris, the Netherlands Volleyball Federation “From the FIVB point of view we were Executive Director and Deputy Chief (NeVoBo) headed by President of the very pleased to see the newly elected Operating Officer Mr Sypros Capralos, Dutch Olympic Committee and former leaders of NeVoBo eager to cooperate General Sports Manager Mr Makis Assi- Olympic swimmer Mrs Erica Terpstra in actively with us for the benefit of Volley- makopoulos, Manager Sport Services what proved to be a fruitful day of dis- ball and Beach Volleyball and I can assure Anita Spring, venue manager for the cussion on the future of Netherlands you that the FIVB is ready to support and Peace and Friendship Stadium for Volley- Volleyball. in February. help Netherlands Volleyball because we ball Mr Andreas Theodoridis, Volleyball have the know-how and expertise in the competition manger Mr Leonidas different aspects of the game, which will Karaiskos, Beach Volleyball competition “It was a pleasure to be able to seek benefit them,” said FIVB General Man- manager Mr Nikolaos Sofianos, Volley- advice and to be able to discuss the ager Mr. Jean-Pierre Seppey. “The rela- ball administration manager Tattana future and the past of Netherlands tionship the FIVB has with all of its 218 Zarkada and Beach Volleyball adminis- Volleyball,” said Mr. Nieukerke. “A lot federations is a key ingredient to the suc- tration manager Katerina Kotsiarini all of valuable information was ex- cess of the sport of Volleyball and its welcomed the FIVB delegation. changed and we came away very international operations and we hope to happy.” continue this with the Netherlands.” The progress of preparation of the sport- ing facilities for the Athens Olympics had been a concern leading up to the Games “We came here to seek advice and we left www.fivb.org/ but following three days of meetings, as friends,” said Ms Terpstra, the former inspections and discussions, Mr Seppey Netherlands Minister of Sport. “Today’s For more news and updates visit confirmed only a few details were still to meeting went beyond all of my expecta- our website at: www.fivb.org be completed and all facilities for Volley- tions and I’m very happy to have made FIVB X-Press No 124 March 2004 5 BEACH VOLLEYBALL Thailand wins Asia-Pacific THE 2004 BEACH VOLLEYBALL SEASON BEGINS! Women’s Beach Volleyball Challenge

Fortaleza kick starts countdown qualifying for Athens, is going to be the Thailand A’s Kamolthip Kulna and to the Olympic Games biggest challenge either of them will have Jarunee Sannok added another feather faced in their respective careers. to their cap by winning the Asia-Pacific A mixture of mountainous sand dunes, Women’s Beach Volleyball Challenge palm trees and Atlantic Ocean breakers Amazingly just six months ago both of following a superb victory over will greet more than 60 women’s Beach these players were no longer playing on China’s Zhang Xi and Ji Linjun in a Volleyball teams from 23 countries when the international stage. Pottharst having thrilling final 18-21, 25-23, 16-14 at the they gather for the opening tournament retired in March of 2003 then returned for start of March. of the 2004 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour, three events with Angela Clarke before the US$ 180,000 Brazilian Open in Fort- unofficially retiring again in August fol- Both the Thai and Chinese teams made aleza. lowing the Indonesian Open on the it to the final without dropping a set all Swatch-FIVB World Tour. tournament but it was the Thai duo In what will be a crucial opening event to who faltered first when China’s a season highlighted by the 2004 Olympic Summer’s emerging career was dramati- Zhang, 17, and 14-year-old Ji stormed Games, Fortaleza (March 9-14) continues cally halted when Team Australia Beach home in the first set. The six-foot-plus the Olympic qualifying process, which Volleyball (TABV) made the strategic Zhang became China’s Great Wall in started last June in Greece and concludes decision midway through 2003 to pair defense as Kamolthip tried everything July 11 when the 24 teams are determined Lochowicz’s partner Kylie Gerlic with to get high enough to get a ball past her. for the August 14-24 Olympics in Athens. Angela Clarke for the remainder of the year. It left Lochowicz out in the cold and Following a hard-fought second set, The Fortaleza stop is the first of 12 on the teetering on the edge of quitting the which went Thailand’s way, the home women’s SWATCH-FIVB World Tour. sport. side finally found the form that led Competition resumes May 19-23 in them to win a South East Asian Games Rhodes, Greece followed by other However Lochowicz, 25, saw a glimmer gold medal in December and fended Olympic qualifying events in China, of hope in Pottharst, took a chance and off the Chinese in the do-or-die third Japan, Switzerland, Germany, Norway called the 38-year-old. Two wins on their set decider. and Canada. The tour will then continue local Australian tour saw a wave of inter- in France and Austria before moving to est from the Australian media and fans Kamolthip and Jarunee had better Italy and Brazil after the Olympic Games. alike regarding whether Pottharst and team-work and communication, while Lochowicz would, could or should make the Chinese teenagers started to falter The men’s SWATCH-FIVB World Tour a run at the Athens Olympics. It all came and made a lot of mistakes. takes in 15 events starting March 16-21 in down to the 2004 Beach Volleyball calen- Salvador, Brazil followed by an event in dar. Qualifying rules dictate to be eligible The game was tied at 14-14 when Cape Town, South Africa March 24-28. for the Olympics a team must play a min- Jarunee blasted a winner through the Other Olympic qualifying events for men imum of eight qualifying events together. Chinese defense before the crowd will be in China, Serbia and Montenegro, So when the 2004 Swatch-FIVB World went wild after Jarunee turned up the Portugal, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Ger- Tour calendar was released and showed heat and took the Thai team to victory many, Norway and Canada before the the required eight events prior to the July 16-14. men’s tour continues in France, Poland 11th cutoff, it made the decision a little and Austria and then after the Olympics easier. “This is the first time we have played in Spain and Brazil. them and they played very well,” said Of course with only the minimum quota 27-year-old Kamolthip, who shared See the April edition of the Xpress for results of events available there is no room for $3,000 in prize money with Jarunee. “If from Fortaleza, Salvador and Capetown. error. Any injury, sickness or bad day at they didn’t make a lot of mistakes in the office could end their dream. Is failure the third set we would not have won.” a possibility? Sure, but it’s hard to see any Swatch-FIVB World Tour sort of failure in combining Australia’s Earlier in the third place play-off, Aus- Pottharst Back for Summer most experienced Volleyball athlete with tralians Stacy Kloeden and Renae one of the nations’ brightest young tal- Maycock bounced back from one set Australian Beach Volleyball legend Kerri ents. No doubt if things don’t go accord- down to defeat the Thai B team’s Nam- Pottharst will come out of retirement for ing to plan goals and objectives for the fon Intuan and Yupa Phukrongploy 21- the second time to attempt to qualify for year will be re-assessed. 18, 28-26, 12-15. her third Olympic Games when the Brazil Open in Fortaleza opens the women’s But what if they do make it? It would Indonesian pair Siti Nurjanah and Ni Swatch-FIVB World Tour. mean Sydney 2000 gold medalists Pot- Putu Yudhany Rahayu finished fifth tharst and would be taking after fighting back from one set down The Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medalist part in their third Olympic Beach Volley- to claim a three set victory (19-21, 21- and bronze medalist in Atlanta 1996 has ball tournament, but this time on oppo- 16,15-11) over the New Zealand pair of partnered fellow Australian Summer site sides of the net. For Summer it would Lucy Todd and Susan Blundell. Lochowicz and entered qualifying for be a dream come true. Fortaleza. According to Australian media Vietnam’s Mai Thi Hoa and Pham their objectives are simple; play hard, The first step of the new campaign starts Ngoc Son beat Japan’s Yuki Yanagawa enjoy the experience and qualify for the with qualifying for the Brazil Open. and Mariko Miyata 21-17, 21-14 in the Athens Olympics in August. The first two seventh place play-off. sound easy enough but the last point, Story by Josh Lawrence

6 FIVB X-Press No 124 March 2004 BEACH VOLLEYBALL “We came prepared to change the history of the Challenges of the Beach,” said USA CLAIM MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TITLE Blanton, who with Eric Fonoimoana won IN COUNTRY vs COUNTRY TOURNAMENT IN BRAZIL gold at the Sydney Olympics. “We played a very aggressive game and fought for advantage and overall skill of the world each point. We know that whenever we champions was too much for the Brazil- face them the game will be very good. At ians who were playing for the first time the French Grand Slam in Marseille they together. defeated us 2-1 in the semifinals. Now it was our turn.” “They didn’t really start to play until late in the first set,” Walsh, who attributed the Brazilian back court star Emanuel com- easy first set win to a nervous start by the plained of a lack of rhythm in his side but Brazilians, said. “In the second set, they said the great game of the Americans was played a lot better.” to blame. “I prepared myself mentally for the game and it was one we definitely Brazil tried to put pressure on Walsh but didn’t want to lose it, but in the third set, she was up to the task. Several times her our physical stamina was lacking,” outstanding attack “nailed” the Brazilian Emanuel said. “By that stage, we were block, which even caused the local 1,500 making so many errors, while the Ameri- strong crowd to cheer and applaud the cans were faultless. They played very talent of Walsh and May. well and they deserved the victory.”

Aweek after her first title in Beach Vol- leyball - the 2004 Queen of the Beach - Val said she expected to play a more stable The Road Misty May and Kerri Walsh of the USA game than the Americans. “I thought we win the country v country title. would have been able to have played bet- to the Olympics ter, but I do not want to say that I believed we could have won,” she said. “We have The American women’s pair of Misty learnt our lesson that we need to train May and Kerri Walsh, favourites for the more and more if we want to achieve our 2004 Athens Olympic gold medal, took objectives.” only 41 minutes to beat Brazil’s Queen of the Beach Vanilda dos Santos Leão and For Gerusa, the fact that it was the first her partner Gerusa da Costa Ferreira time Val and her had played against the winning 21-7, 21-16 to see USA walk Americans complicated things even fur- away with the country v country title, on ther. “We went into the match in the Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in dark,” she said. “They are excellent play- February. ers and the simple fact of playing against them was already a dream. We can’t wait A week earlier, the American men’s pair for the Swatch-FIVB World Tour now.” of Dain Blanton and Jeff Nygaard broke a two-year American drought to beat the Playing in front of a packed passionate world champions, Ricardo and Emanuel and noisy local crowd, the men’s Country from Brazil 2-1. v Country tournament, was just as exciting. From the first whistle the For Walsh, 25, and 26-year-old May, it Americans showed that they were not was an easy victory, and a sensational going to aid the Brazilian party and pro- match between the two best Beach Vol- ceeded to claim the honours in this leyball nations. In the end the height annual event.

Date Event Team Results

Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 The FIVB Beach Volleyball department is pleased to announce the completetion of Misty May and Kerri their publication, ‘The Road to the Walsh, (USA) Olympics’ which includes the 2003 Final Women’s Coun- v Report and also looks ahead to the 2004 22 try Vs Country Santos Leão and her partner 21-7 21-16 season. This will shortly be download- February Gerusa da Costa Ferreira able via the FIVB website. (BRA)

Dain Blanton and Jeff Men’s Country Nygaard (USA) www.fivb.org/ 16 Vs Country v 22-20 20-22 15-13 For more Beach Volleyball news February Ricardo and Emanuel and updates visit our website at: (BRA) www.fivb.org

FIVB X-Press No 124 March 2004 7 FIVB Starting from this edition, all “Development News” will be DEVELOPMENT NEWS... included in the monthly Xpress rather than a separate publication.

Development Centre of Dakar courts and a meeting room for 50 people. (SAP) which has made a real impact on The students and their instructors can Asian Volleyball development. In dis- > Search for new resources continues to equally benefit from the accommodation, cussing the issue, the AVC Development help mission a restaurant and the discounted prices of and Marketing Committee unanimously In order to help them fulfill their 2004 the Léopold Sédar Senghor Centre. agreed that the help must be given to missions, the management of the Devel- those who are in the greatest need of help opment Centre of Dakar has recently The Centre covers 24 countries and and will produce some achievements. decided to launch a project which works in four languages of which the includes finding new economic partners. principle language is French, with Eng- In the past, some AVC NFs received help lish, Portuguese and Arabic the others. from the FIVB but, unfortunately, did not Since its beginnings in 1986, in accor- The reason for this is to raise the technical produce the expected results. Therefore, dance with the wishes of the FIVB Presi- level and the knowledge of the people the AVC has recommended to the FIVB dent Dr Rubén Acosta, the Development (players, referees, coaches, managers) that the help given to AVC be on a Zonal Centre of Dakar has served the whole of who are called to work in the world of balance, one NF in each of the AVC’s five the West African region, with only the Volleyball, organize all sorts of informa- Zones: DPR Korea (Eastern Zone), Cam- material and money from the FIVB and tion sessions and also to intensify the bodia (Southeastern Zone), Bangladesh the help of the Senegalese authorities and cooperation at international level and (Central Zone), Yemen (Western Zone) excellent local volunteers, who served above all Africa. and Vanuatu (Oceania Zone). the personnel and support needs nobly. Development for National The AVC will propose the establishment The President of the Senegalese Volley- Federations, a Key Task for AVC of a fourth FIVB Development Center in ball Federation, FIVB instructor and Jakarta, Indonesia. The Asian organisa- director of the centre Abdoulaye Baba Sy, Development within Volleyball’s Natio- tion has also requested a development can be proud of the extremely good nal Federations (NFs), particularly in center in Bahrain in order to attract more results which justify the continuation of less-developed regions will be the main participation from nearby countries. Two such an institution in this part of Africa. priority for the Asia Volleyball Confeder- other Development Centers in Thailand Nevertheless the managers do not want ation (AVC) in 2004, it was announced in and India are to continue their aggressive to be consumed by the monotonous rou- Febraury. The situation within many of programs, in order to maintain develop- tine nor by the wait and see attitude of the AVC’s National Federations has been ment. others. They want to grow the develop- described as less then encouraging and ment centre and it is this reason for which has led to the organisations’s President, The AVC Western Zone will receive more they have decided to start this new search Wei Jizhong, to comment: “We must vig- attention and Asian Technical Support for additional resources in addition to the orously promote the development of our Programs are to be carried out there. The annual allocation from the FIVB. NFs and help them to grow.” AVC Coaches Committee will select three or four countries in the zone to train The first contacts have been made with There is a major unbalance within the school teachers and will spend one week the Youth and Sports Ministry Confer- Asian region in terms of development in each country from October to Novem- ence (CONFEJES), the Solidarite within the sport and this has led the AVC ber. Olympic, Olympafrica and other organi- to take firm action on the issue. “We must zations like the national Olympic Com- intensively implement FIVB projects in AVC island members in the Pacific will be mittees of countries which have already Asia,” Wei Jizhong noted. expected to devote most of their efforts in used the facilities of the Centre or would developing Beach Volleyball, as the geo- be likely to do so in the future. All of these The AVC has decided to help and encour- graphic features of the region are much approaches, which have not included age less-advanced members to partici- more suitable for that particular disci- commercial firms, should result in the pate in the FIVB Sports Aid Program pline of the sport. reinforcement in the operational capacity of the Centre.

> Raising the awareness of athletes and VOLLEYBALL EQUIPMENT FORUM administrators Taking into consideration the daily work, courses, seminars, conferences, and Recycle used Volleyball equipment training sessions which, with the differ- > The FIVB Development Department encourages all National Federations with used ent under age tournaments, have seen Volleyball equipment in good working order to offer it, though this forum, to National people stuck with the same routine for six Federations who are able to make good use of it. Send us details of any used equip- to seven years now, one of the major pri- ment ([email protected]) that you have to offer and we will publish it orities is to upgrade the administrative through this forum. and information tools. Don’t forget to include the name and address of who to contact to arrange shipping. We The Centre has a 70 m2 room that is dedi- would like to thank the federations that have already offered their equipment but cated to the administration, a gymna- would also like to encourage more federations to do the same. sium with space to host four Volleyball

FIVB X-Press • Monthly information of the FIVB • Av. de la Gare 12 • CH-1001 Lausanne • Printed in Switzerland • FIVB founded in 1947 • President Dr. Rubén Acosta H. Tel. +41 21 345 35 35 • Fax +41 21 345 35 45 • WebSite: http://www.fivb.org/ • E-mail: [email protected] • Editor: Communication Dpt. • No 124 • March 2004

8 FIVB X-Press No 124 March 2004