Volleyball…Beijing 2008

Brazil are the first mens team to secure their spot to Beijing…read full FIVB report here.

Brazilian captain Giba spikes against Alexey Kuleshov and Vadim Khamuttskikh

Brazil Vs Bulgaria

Andrea Zorzis latest post

Tokyo (Japan)

In the first commentary I posted for 2007 Men’s World Cup, I promised you that I would have written more about Ricardo missing.

The first unanswered question was:

Brazil, the dominator of the Volleyball world since 2002, has to face a great loss. The Brazilian setter, after an harsh argument with Bernardinho was excluded from the team. Will South American squad be able to overcome the significant absence of their setter?

The obvious answer is yes.

Full article from FIVB

Usually the Maestro of the Concert uses his conductor baton to lead the team of musicians, but in the Volleyball field the condition is different as the Brazilian skillful setter Fofao doesn’t use a baton to lead her players as a captain but she uses her volleyball full mind to lead the concert of Samba in the World Cup with her full sensations.
Fofao already deal with Volleyball by sense, as she is thinking that to play Volleyball by the mind is much more important than to play with the muscles. By this theory the intellectual setter makes the different combinations by the net that disturb any team and any kind of defense. 

Volley country reports that Brazil have again dropped Ricardo. I checked out the Brazil Federation site, he’s not on their list.

Brazil will miss setter Ricardo during World Cup 2007 in Japan. Brazilian setter was not nominated by B. Rezende into Brazilian rooster for the World Cup 2007.

Ricardo will not play for Brazil after four years. Brazil won everything with Ricardo, Olympics, World Cup, World League. Now Brazil has to face the opponents without key player. Ricardo had problems with Brazilian national team coach B. Rezende in the past. Brazilian volleyball national team won Pan American Games 2007 in Rio without Ricardo. It is only one title which Ricardo did not win and probably will never win. B. Rezende invite all players to national team under same conditions. Ricardo did not want to follow these conditions.

A few matches have been played and the results that are expected have occurred. Here is an article from nstonline.

Brazil’s women, the world silver medallists, are out to prove they can match their country’s men and win the volleyball World Cup, which gets under way in Japan today.

The Brazilian men are currently the holders of the three major titles - the Olympics, the World Cup and the World Championships, which they won here last year.

Read full article from World Cup Website

Brazilian ace Gustavo Endres has described his team’s opening game against the United States in the men’s World Cup as like a final.
Brazil, the reigning Olympic and world champions and World Cup-holders from 2003, face a tough start in their bid to reach the medal podium and qualify early for the Beijing Olympics.
“In the first game we will have a final,” he says. “We will play against USA. I think that the American team, as well as Bulgaria, Russia, Spain and Brazil, are the favourites for the three vacancies.”
At 32, middle blocker Gustavo has been a mainstay of Brazil’s all-conquering team under head coach Bernardo Rezende, but the Beijing Olympics next August could mark the end of an era for this golden generation.
Gustavo adds: “The 2007 World Cup is the start of the Olympic Games, and we have talked about this competition many times since the beginning of the year. It will be very tough, but also rewarding. The competition is very well organised.”

Read full article FIVB

The last time that Ana Paula Connelly played with a member of the Bede family, she left with a SWATCH-FIVB World Tour gold medal and an Asian trophy in her luggage.

The Brazilian is hoping that her luggage for her return trip home next Monday to Rio de Janeiro will contain another FIVB medal and Asian trophy as she has teamed with another Bede this week’s US$200,000 Phuket Thailand Open powered by ptt on Karon Beach.

Courtesy of the Brazilian Volleyball Federation, here is their final World Cup Squad.

World Cup Squad 2007
» Name: Caroline de Oliveira Saad Gattaz - #5 » Position:MB » Current teams: Finasa/Osasco (SP) » Weight: 79 kg » Height: 1,92 m » Date of Birth: 27/07/81 » Name: Fabiana Alvim de Oliveira (Fabi) - #14 » Position: L » Current teams: Rexona/Ades (RIO DE JANEIRO) » Weight: 59 kg » Height: 1,69 m » Date of Birth: 07/03/80

Brazil have arrived. Well th women anyway. Favourites to secure a berth in Beijing through the World Cup, Brazil have begun their preparations in Japan, training with a Japanese Team, Hisamitsu Springs. Brazil haven’t come into the World Cup with the best of form, losing 3-2 to Cuba in July and finishing 5th at the World Grand Prix this yr. With their setter Fofao and Middle blocker Walewska Brazil will be looking to get back to some old form.