ACTUALITE |
01.06.2004
Volleyball: Cameroon Out of Olympic Games
Netherlands, 1996 Olympic Champions, won the lone ticket for Athens 2004 during the world men’s volleyball tournament in Madrid, Spain.
The 2004 men’s World Olympic Qualification tournament took place in Madrid, Spain, from the 28th to the 30th of May. The three-day tournament brought together top volleyball teams from four countries. These include: Cameroon, Cuba, the Netherlands, and Spain. Cameroon had to face top favourites such as Netherlands ranked 12th in the world, Cuba with a rebuilt team and Spain which had a great home advantage. Competition system was a Round Robin with six matches played.
The national men’s volleyball squad lost all their matches and as such failed to qualify for the Olympic Games in Athens next August. In the opening game at the Pabellon M. Casa de Campo Rockodromo, Madrid, against the Netherlands, the volleyball lions crashed before Netherlands 3-0 sets (25-21, 27-25, and 25-18) in an encounter that lasted for one hour seventeen minutes. The Netherlands had a tough encounter especially in the opening two sets as the courageous guys from Cameroon were determined to have their names written in the book of fame. Cameroon lost to host country Spain 3-0 sets (25-14, 25-17 and 25-20) in their second match. They equally lost to Cuba 3-0 sets (25-20, 25-23, 25-13) in their third match. Cameroon, ranked 27th in the world, showed great enthusiasm and ingenuity with team captain Alain Denguessi and Guy Roger Nanga in particular proving their class in the international scene. Netherlands won the lone ticket to the Olympic Games after beating Spain 3-0 sets (25-20, 25-20, 26-24).
The 1996 Olympic champions lived up to their pre-tournament tag of favourites to finish the competition unbeaten with three impressive victories. Netherlands finished the tournament top on the classification table with six points. Cuba counts five points, Spain four and Cameroon closes the table with three points. The Madrid tournament completes the Olympic qualification process for men’s Volleyball at the Olympics, which starts on August 14. The Netherlands will compete for Olympic gold with 11 other teams including Greece, Brazil, Italy, Serbia and Montenegro, Russia, USA, Argentina, Tunisia, Poland, France and Australia.
|
|
Hits: 1 | Source:cameroon-tribune.cm | |
|
|
|
|
| |