On the eve of the opening day for the 2009 FIVB Men’s Junior World Championship held in Pune, India, all 16 teams are set to for the competition to start at the Balewadi Sports Complex. The best young talent from around the world will converge in Pune for the Under-21 World Youth Championships starting July 31st.
Under the supervision of Federation International de Volleyball and under the aegis of Volleyball Federation of India, Maharashtra State Volleyball Association and Poona District Volleyball Association, the championship will be organized by United Sports Foundation, Pune. First 16 ranking teams amongst 226 affiliated countries to the Federation International de Volleyball will contest for the medals in this World Cup tournament.
This is the second time that Federation International de Volleyball [FIVB] has awarded the Men’s World Junior Volleyball Championship to INDIA. The 2005 edition was held in Vizag
The FIVB Men’s Junior World Championship is contested every other year and this year’s competition is open to players born on or after Jan. 1, 1989.
The FIVB Men’s Junior World Championship has three distinct rounds with each team advancing throughout and playing a total of eight matches. The Preliminary round, determined through a drawing of lots, consists of four four-team groups playing three consecutive days of round-robin competition. The first- and second-place finishers in each first-round pool moves on to Pools E and F in the second round and still in contention for all spots on the medal stand.
Pool A consists of host India, USA, Tunisia and Belarus. Pool B consists of 2007 bronze medalist Iran, China, Egypt and Belgium. Pool C includes Argentina, France, Cuba and Greece. Pool D, which includes the gold and silver medalists from the 2007 event, has Brazil, Russia, Canada and Poland. Brazil is the defending champion of the FIVB Men’s Junior World Championship, defeating Russia in the 2007 gold-medal match in Morocco.
Brazil and Russia have won the FIVB Men’s Junior World Championship three times each, while the U.S.S.R. won three of the first four events that started in 1977.
Overall, Brazil has eight other medals in the event with five silvers (1981, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2005) and three bronzes (1977, 1989, 1999). It is participating in the FIVB Men’s Junior World Championship for the 15th time, the only country to have competed in the tournament every time. Meanwhile, China is participating in its 12th edition the event, which ranks second-most all-time.
In terms of rising teams from the Under-19 championship, Iran captured the 2007FIVB Boys’ Youth World Championship by winning the gold-medal match over China in Mexico two years ago. France finished third in the event.
In terms of the FIVB Junior and Youth World Ranking for men’s teams, Iran is the top-ranked team followed by Argentina and Brazil in the top three positions. Russia is ranked fourth, followed by France, China, USA and Tunisia. Egypt is ranked ninth and FIVB Men’s Junior World Championship host India is 10th.
