VOLLEYBALL – Bahrain's preliminary round opponents are shaping up their rosters ahead of next week’s 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Men.
The kingdom hosts the prestigious Asian Volleyball Confederation (AFC) championship from Sunday to June 9, with 12 of the continent’s top senior men’s national teams taking part – six of whom are amongst the top 50-ranked sides in the world.
The Bahrainis are in Pool A for the opening stage alongside world number 31 China and world number 57 the Philippines, both of whom are set to pose a challenge for the home side.
The Filipinos’ official roster was announced yesterday, with the squad being spearheaded by co-captains Marck Espejo and Joshua Umandal.
Espejo is no stranger to Bahrain volleyball, having played as a professional with local club Bani Jamra in the past. He and fellow-outside hitter Umandal are joined on the team by Jade Alex Disquitado, Noel Michael Kampton, Angelo Nicolas Almendras, all outsider hitters; opposite Leo Ordiales; middle blockers Lloyd Josafat, Rwenzmel Taguibolos, Kim Malabunga, and John Paul Bugaoan; setters Joseph Phillip Bello and Ave Joshua Retamar; and liberos Josh Ybanez and Vince Patrick Lorenzo.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Volleyball Association announced last week a 19-man roster that played a series of friendly games in Beijing against South Korea, who will also be competing in the kingdom.
Their squad features a number of players who represented China in the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Nations League. Among them are outside hitters Zhang Jingyin, Yu Yuantai, Zhai Dejun, and Wang Bin; opposites Jiang Chuan and Zhang Guanhua; middle blockers Peng Shikun, Li Yongzhen, and Wang Dongchen; setter Wang Hebin; and libero Qu Zongshuai.
Their other players are outside hitters Binglong Zhang and Lei Li, opposite Jingyi Wang, middle blocker Shuhan Rao, setters Tianyi Mao and Ze Liu, and liberos Tianyuan Yang and Yiming Yang.
The team is still to be trimmed to a final list of 14 for this year’s tournament.
The Philippines and China face off in the opening Pool A fixture on Sunday. The following night Bahrain open their tournament bid against the Filipinos, and then they take on their Chinese counterparts on Tuesday. All the Pool A fixtures are scheduled to begin at 7.30pm.
Games are to be played at Isa bin Rashid Arena at Isa Sports City in Riffa.
The Bahrainis, ranked 67th in the world, continued their preparations for the competition, under the supervision of head coach Jorge Elgueta, a former Argentina international and two-time Olympian.
The hosts’ official roster includes outside hitters Mohammed Yaqoob, Nasser Anan, Mahmoud Abdulwahed and Sayed Mohammed Al Abrar; opposites Ali Ebrahim and Sayed Hashem Issa; setters Mahmood Al Afyah and Hussain Mansoor; middle blockers Mohammed Jassim, Hassan Al Warqaa, Hassan Al Shakhouri and Hani Ali Alawi; and liberos Ayman Harwana and Abbas Abdulla.
Pool B consists of defending champions Thailand, Kazakhstan and world number 49 Pakistan, while Pool C features world number 28 South Korea, Indonesia, and world number 21 Qatar. Pool D comprises world number 35 Australia, world number 43 Chinese Taipei, and Vietnam.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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