2ND LEG NG VNL IHO-HOST NG PASAY, QC

DALAWANG linggong top notch volleyball action ang masasaksihan sa pag-host ng bansa sa second leg ng Volleyball Nations League (VNL) sa kalagitnaan ng 2022.

Pinangungunahan ng men’s Olympic champion France at women’s counterpart United States ang 15 bansa na magbabakbakan sa torneo na gaganapin sa Pasay City at Quezon City, ayon sa pagkakasunod, sa magkahiwalay na petsa.

Pormal na inanunsiyo ni Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) President Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara ang hosting ng bansa nitong Martes sa online Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.

“We would like to bring more world class action in volleyball dito sa Pilipinas next year as part of the four-year partnership with the FIVB, which is the international governing body for volleyball,” sabi ni Suzara.

“We will have the top eight teams (men’s side) in the world coming in Manila this June.”

Sisimulan ng women’s side ang two-week hostilities kung saan sasamahan ang USA ng China, Japan, Russia, Belgium, Poland at Thailand sa kumpetisyon na nakatakda sa June 13-19 sa Mall of Asia Arena.

Sa susunod na linggo mula June 21 hanggang 26 ay ang men’s teams naman ang papagitna na kinabibilangan ngTokyo Olympics silver at bronze medalist Russia at Argentina, ayon sa pagkakasunod, Japan, Slovenia, Italy, Germany, at Netherlands sa Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Noong una ay ang men’s matches lamang ang idaraos sa bansa, ngunit dahil hindi maho-host ng Thailand ang women’s event, hiniling ng FIVB sa PNVF na idaos ang dalawang events dito, ayon kay Suzara.

Ang meet ang pinakamalaking volleyball event na iho-host ng bansa matapos ang 2005 World Grand Prix.

Hindi naman magpapaiwan ang men at women’s national teams dahil magkakaroon ng exhibition matches laban sa ilan sa mga bisitang bansa bago tumuloy sa susunod na leg.

“The plan now is to have exhibition matches one day after the women’s tournament against Japan and Russia, and sa men’s naman is to have exhibition games against Argentina or Italy and Japan also,” sabi ng PNVF president sa session na itinataguyod ng San Miguel Corporation (SMC), MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, Daily Tribune, at ng Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

“This will give our national players a chance to play against these world class teams dito sa Pilipinas as part of the promotion of the FIVB. Part of the timetable din ito because there’s a three-day gap before they go to the next leg so it’s better for them to stay here muna.”