2017 is set to be the busiest year ever for the Asian Volleyball Confederation when a total of eight top-notch AVC indoor volleyball tournaments will be held, with the Asian Senior Men’s Championship attracting an unprecedented record of 22 teams.
Only Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan and Thailand have confirmed their participation in all eight tournaments, while powerhouses China are likely not to send their team to defend their title at the Asian Women’s U23 Championship from May 13 to 21 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, claiming their busy competition schedule.
The 11th Asian Girls’ U18 Championship, which is due to take place in Chongqing, China between March 5 and 13, will get the 2017 AVC competitions off the ground. A total of 13 teams have so far confirmed to compete in the nine-day tournament including hosts China, Korea, Samoa, Chinese Taipei, Australia and New Zealand. Title-holders and successive five-time champions Japan will also be back to defend their crown.
The second tournament of the year will take place in Myanmar when Nay Pyi Taw will host the 11th Asian Boys’ U19 Championship between March 28 and April 5. Australia, Bangladesh, Korea, Chinese Taipei, Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka are among 16 teams which have already confirmed to strut their staff in the top-flight competition. Nonetheless, defending and consecutive six-time champions Iran are expected to mount a strong challenge against all opponents, making it one of the thrilling tournaments to watch this year.
Iran will host the third tournament in the second Asian Men’s U23 Championship, which will be held in Ardabil during May 2 and 10, with 14 teams vying for the top honour. The fully-fledged Iran snatched their first title following a scintillating straight-set victory over Korea in the final showdown in Nay Pyi Taw two years ago. Iran are ready to repeat their feat at home this time despite likely determined challenges from China, Australia and Japan, while 2015 silver medallists Korea have yet submitted their entry to AVC.
Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand will become a battle ground for the second Asian Women’s U23 Championship from May 13 to 21. However, as mentioned earlier, reigning champions China are likely not to send their team to Thailand, while the 2015 bronze medallists Korea also did likewise by not submitting their entry at the deadline.
The tournament is expected to draw a large number of volleyball enthusiasts domestically and internationally as the provincial residents are very fond of volleyball and a fully-packed venue can be seen whenever a volleyball competition is held here. As of January 10, 14 teams have submitted their entries to contest the daunting competition.
Reliable sources said that the host province Nakhon Ratchasima has initially planned to organise the competition in two venues and one of them will be the newly-opened, mega-fun Terminal 21 Shopping Mall, a new landmark in the heart of the city. Undoubtedly, the Thai spikers, who finished second to champions China at the previous edition two years ago, will come out in full force to make the country proud with their significant success at home.
Just one day after the conclusion of the Asian Women’s U23 Championship in Thailand, the 2017 Asian Women’s Club Championship will take place in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan during May 23 and 31. So far, only eight teams have confirmed their participation in the annual competition comprising China, Iran, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam and hosts Kazakhstan. The winners will secure their berth to compete in the next year’s FIVB Women’s Club World Championship in Japan.
Vietnam will host the 2017 Asian Men’s Club Championship from June 27 to July 5, with 13 teams fighting for the eventual crown and the lone berth to be pitted at the 2018 FIVB Men’s Club World Championship. China, Iran, Japan, Chinese Taipei and Thailand have already decided to join the fray.
The remaining two tournaments of the year will be the AVC’s highlights with the staging of the action-packed Asian Senior Men’s and Women’s Championships. The 19th Asian Senior Men’s Championship in Surabaya, Indonesia between July 24 and August 1 and the 19th Asian Senior Women’s Championship in the Philippines from August 9 to 17.
The Asian Senior Men’s Championship in Indonesia draws a huge attraction with a record 22 teams pitting their expertise against one another. Japan, which stunned successive two-time champions and hosts Iran in dramatic four sets to reign supreme at the previous Asian meet, will return to defend their title. Aside from powerhouses Japan and Iran, the strong contenders comprise Australia, China, Korea and Chinese Taipei, while the remaining teams consist of Bahrain, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Maldives, New Zealand, Pakistan, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
The Asian Senior Men’s Championship made its debut in 1975 in Melbourne, Australia with only seven teams participating and since then, the competition is held biennially with more than 10 teams contesting each edition. In 2013, a total of 21 teams took part in the 17th Asian Senior Men’s Championship in Dubai, where Iran proved their invincibility to beat Korea in the final showdown to win their second title. Iran, however, lost their crown on home soil following a shock 1-3 loss to Japan at the previous episode two years ago.
In terms of the Asian Senior Women’s Championship in the Philippines, 15 teams have already submitted their entries including defending and 13-time champions China. Strong challenges can be expected from former three-time champions Japan, two-time winners Thailand and formidable Korea, which have yet won a title in the Asian meet. At the previous edition in Tianjin, China two years ago, the Koreans came within a whisker of winning their historic crown, but just found hosts and indomitable China too strong to go down tamely in straight sets in the final showdown.
The other teams to contest the top-flight event in the Philippines comprise Australia, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Maldives, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam and hosts Philippines.
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