Fifteen countries and territories across Asia will compete at the 15th Asian Junior Women’s volleyball Championship to be held in HCM City next month.

Two foreign volleyball clubs want Vietnamese player

Participating countries are Viet Nam, and Australia, Chinese mainland, Chinese Taipei, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Only players born after January 1, 1992 are eligible.

They will be divided into four pools and compete at Tan Binh and Phan Dinh Phung Gymnasiums on September 12-20.

Groups play in the round-robin format with two top teams progressing into the next round.

Organisers will also award seven individual prizes.

Viet Nam have a great opportunity to enter the quarter-finals as they are in the same group with Kazakhstan and New Zealand, two teams that are not very strong.

Viet Nam beat New Zealand 3-0 at the tournament four years ago in Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima to rank sixth in the overall ranking table.

“It is an opportunity for young players to hone their skills and raise their game for Viet Nam in the future. Volleyball Federation of Viet Nam (VFV) has developed a strategy to help Viet Nam’s women’s volleyball enter the top-five in Asia in the near future,” Nguyen Ba Nghi, VFV’s vice chairman said.

The strong contenders for the medals are Chinese mainland, Chinese Taipei, South Korea, and Japan, Nghi said.

Australia and Fiji plan to arrive in Viet Nam early next Sunday and have some friendlies with Vietnamese teams.

The tournament also serves as an Asian qualifying event for the World Youth Volleyball Championships 2011 in Turkey.

Under Chinese coach Rong Han Yan, young players like setter Pham Thu Ha, libero Lien and spiker Bui Thi Nhung are expected to help Viet Nam spring surprises.

Early next month, Viet Nam participates in the Southeast Asian Youth Volleyball Championships which takes place in the northern province of Bac Ninh.

The team will play against Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

This is the second time Viet Nam has organised the event. The first time took place in Phan Dinh Phung Gymnasium eight years ago. Both have been sponsored by Hisamitsu Viet Nam.

Source: VNS