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More 2005 Junior Women’s Under-20 World Championship
News
Four teams on the way to the crown
 Ankara,
Turkey, July 29, 2005 - The 2005 Junior Women's U20
World Championship has already given a lot of pleasant
surprises and going into the second round on Saturday,
no one is able to speculate on who might take the title.
This weekend the best four teams in junior Women's
Volleyball will play for the title of world champion in
Ankara. The first two teams of each preliminary pool
have qualified for the second round and the first four
positions of the final standings. They are the three
continental champions Brazil (South America), Italy
(Europe) and China (Asia) and Serbia & Montenegro who
were the vice champions of Europe.
Pic: Serbia and Montenegro have had a wonderful time
in Turkey
Traditional powerhouses Russia have not qualified having
failed to overcome two consecutive defeats to Italy and
China.
Brazil, four times world champion, have the ambition to
continue their astonishing career and go home with their
third consecutive world title and their fifth in total.
The head coach Antonio Neto Rizola is aiming for his
team to win gold and him to win his third (2001, 2003
being the other victories).
China with an impressive appearance in the preliminary
round, want to be at the top again, as in 1995. The
coach and players believe that they will have the chance
to take revenge on their big opponent Brazil this
weekend and go home with the crown.
Italy, the European Champion of 2004, with the second
position in Pool B, are determined for some distinction.
They are aiming for gold for the first time, as they
didn't take part in the competition of 2003, and having
only once taken the second position in 1997. They were
also in the 4th place in 2001.
Serbia & Montenegro have been the pleasant surprise of
the tournament. They were vice champions of Europe last
year, with only two participations in the U20 World
Championships (9th in 1997 and 1999). However they seem
to be ready to win a medal and have an equal success
with the men's team.
The two semifinals will be in the Atataurk Sport Hall on
Saturday. In the first game Brazil will face Italy
(16.30 local time) and in the second Serbia & Montenegro
will play against China. The winners of the semifinals
will play in the final on Sunday (19.00 local time). The
two losers will play earlier (16.30) for the bronze
medal.
Also in Istanbul (Haldun Alagas Sport Hall), teams will
fight for the 5th to 8th positions of the final
standings. They will be the teams qualified for the 3rd
and 4th positions of each Pool (A and B) of the
preliminary round.
Japan (A3) will play against Puerto Rico (B4) on
Saturday (16.30 local time) and Turkey (A4) will play
Russia (B3) at 19.00 (local time). The winners will play
on Sunday for the 5th position (19.00) and the losers
for the 7th (16.30).
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