Coach of Italy's women's national team, Marco Bonitta being interviewed just after the Drawing of Lots in Parma on Monday
Lausanne, Switzerland,
March 11, 2014 – After the excitement of Monday night’s Drawing of Lots for the
first round of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship Italy 2014, coaches
of the participating teams must now turn their attention to helping their players
achieve the best possible result in this year’s tournament. Hosts and 2002
champions Italy, ranked 4th in the world, will play Germany (WR9), Argentina
(WR18), Croatia (WR24), Tunisia (WR27) and one more team from NORCECA still to
be defined in Pool A in Rome.It is not a pool
that worries newly
appointed coach of Italy’s women’s national team Marco Bonitta too much. “I
have no preferences and no favourites,” said the 50 year old coach who took
Italy to their only FIVB Volleyball World Championship win in 2002. “All these
teams are interesting. We got to play with them by being respectful and we have
to play with a lot of energy and commitment,” he said. “The first round
will be fundamental so we will have to win a lot. The formula for this World
Championship is an excellent one and I am enthusiastic about it. I think the
final will be interesting and hopefully Italy will be part of it,” he
concluded.Germany’s coach Giovanni
Guidetti, who earlier this month signed on to coach the women’s national team
until the end of current Olympic cycle, is looking forward to the prospect
of competing against the Pool A countries. “This is a good group,”
said Guidetti. “I am happy to play in the same group as Italy. This means that
we will have many viewers in each game. Italy is of course very strong and the
team wants to achieve something in front of their home crowd. For us the
Dominican Republic is always difficult to play as is Croatia. We need to be
wary of Argentina and we still have a score to settle with them from the FIVB World
Grand Prix in 2013.” Monday night’s
Drawing of Lots saw two time defending champions Russia, ranked 6th in the
world, face a fascinating first round of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World
Championship Italy 2014. They were drawn in Pool C to be played in Verona with
Thailand (WR12), the Netherlands (WR18), Kazakhstan (WR23) and two NORCECA
representatives following the completion of the Drawing of Lots at the Farnese
Theatre in Parma on Monday.A total of 24
countries were drawn across four pools for the first round of the 17th edition
of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship, which will be held across
six different cities (Trieste, Milan, Modena, Verona, Rome, Bari) in Italy from
September 23 to October 12.The top 12 teams in
the world ranking as of January 2014, were placed across the four pools in
accordance with the serpentine system. Hosts Italy (world ranking 4) were
placed in position 1 before the remaining 11 teams followed.The remaining 12
teams were drawn across the bottom three positions of each of the four first
round pools thanks to the help of Italian volleyball legend Maurizia Cacciatori
in front of FIVB President Dr. Ary S. Graça F°, Italy Volleyball Federation
President Carlo Magri and FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship Italy 2014
Organising Committee President Carlos Salvatori amongst other dignitaries.In arguably the
toughest group, Pool B in Trieste features Olympic champions Brazil (WR1),
Serbia (WR7), Turkey (WR11), Cameroon (WR26), Bulgaria (WR35) and one team from
NORCECA still to be determined.The fourth and
final first-round pool sees the 2010 World Championship bronze medallists Japan
(WR3), grouped with China (WR5), Belgium (WR22), Azerbaijan (WR37) and two
NORCECA teams to be played in Bari.
Pools for the FIVB Volleyball
Women’s World Championship Italy 2014
|
Pool
A in Rome
|
Italy,
NORCECA 2, Germany, Argentina, Croatia, Tunisia
|
Pool
B in Trieste
|
Brazil,
Serbia, Turkey, NORCECA 4, Cameroon, Bulgaria
|
Pool
C in Verona
|
NORCECA
1, Russia, Thailand, the Netherlands, Kazakhstan, NORCECA 6
|
Pool
D in Bari
|
Japan,
China, NORCECA 3, NORCECA 5, Belgium, Azerbaijan
|