Peru to welcome future stars of women's game
Lausanne, Switzerland, February 16, 2011 – Eleven teams out of the 16 due to participate in the FIVB Women's Junior World Championship in July have already been determined and in this update, FIVB.org reviews who has qualified and who still has that task ahead of them.
Many countries are already beginning to prepare for the 15th edition of the tournament, which will take place in Lima and Trujillo in Peru from July 22-31. Peru have been hosts once before – in 1989 – of an event established in 1977 alongside its men's equivalent.
The last Women's Junior World Championship took place in Tijuana and Mexicali, Mexico in 2009 with Germany seeing off the Dominican Republic in straight sets in the final to seal not only their first gold medal at the event, but also their first podium finish. Brazil completed the honours with victory over Bulgaria for bronze.
However, the defending champions are yet to reach the 2011 tournament as CEV qualification begins in May with five vacancies open to the 18 competing countries split across four pools. The only side from Europe to have guaranteed their place in Peru are 2010 CEV Women's Junior Championship winners Italy, who did not participate in the 2009 edition and finished fifth in 2007.
The Dominican Republic will be looking to go one better than their silver medal in 2009 as one of NORCECA's three representatives together with Cuba, who finished ninth in 2009, and USA, who ended the last tournament in a disappointing 12th place.
Japan and Korea both return to the world stage this year, joining China from Asia who finished tenth in 2009. The Chinese will be eager to rediscover their former authority in an event where they have finished on the podium nine times, including a gold-medal triumph in 1995. Meanwhile, Japan – who failed to qualify in 2009 – will look to improve on the bronze medal they won in 2007. Korea, who won the first two editions of the Women’s Junior World Championship, return for the first time since 2005.
Egypt and Tunisia, both absent from the 2009 competition, return to the biennial contest as Africa' representatives. The last time Egypt took part, in 2007, they finished 12th while this is only Tunisia's second championship appearance after ranking 13th in 1995.
Last but certainly not least, the six-time winners of the Women's Junior World Championship, Brazil, will be desperate to win back the title they let slip in 2009 as they and Peru represent South America. Brazil still managed a podium finish on their last outing but will want to return to the top step while Peru are back in the competition for the first time since 1995.
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