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**truebluefan** · 05-05-2008, 05:31 PM

Cuban Women Aiming for Gold in Beijing Olympics

Cuban Women's Technical Director Antonio Perdomo claimed that the Cuban Women team will fight for the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

"We have the option for the gold in Beijing and we are certainly going after it," said Perdomo, who recognised there are six or seven teams also in with a shout to be crowned Olympic Champions.

"But we, of course, don't train to lose and we will play to get the ultimate goal," said Perdomo.

The Women's Olympic Tournament is set for August 9-23 and the Cuban Women,currently taking part in a training camp, will play in three tournaments ahead of the event, culminating with the FIVB World Grand Prix.

Following the 20-player national training camp divided into two groups – the first-team "orientales" and second-team "occidentales" – and now that China has declined to organize their traditional annual May tournaments, the Cubans are scheduled to play in the Abu Dhabi International Women's Volleyball Tournament through May 21-27 and then in the Montreux Volley Masters in Switzerland through June 4-8.

"Then we will come back to Cuba and leave for the Grand Prix where we plan to refine the team while making the best effort," said Perdomo."But our main goal will be to get the highest preparation of the 12 players who can guarantee the fifth medal for Cuba in the Women's Olympic Tournament.

Meanwhile, the second team - led by those looking for one possible open spot in the main squad - will play for one of the top three places in the Seventh Women’s Pan American Cup in Baja California, Mexico, through June 1-8, in order to qualify for the 2009 World Grand Prix.

Among the players with almost a lock in the National Team are setters Daimi Ramirez, Yanelis Santos and Yusedey Silie, liberos Liana Mesa and Yaima Ortiz,outside hitters Yumilka Ruiz, Rosir Calderon and Kenia Carcaces and middle blockers Nancy Carrillo, Rachel Sanchez and Zoila Barros.

The training team is completed by Yenisei Gonzalez, Dayesi Maso, Lisbet Arredondo, Yusleidys Herrera, Leanny Castaneda, Ana Lidia Cleger, Giselle de la Caridad Silva and Suramis Acosta.

**truebluefan** · 05-05-2008, 05:31 PM

Teams from Brazil and host China earned the first two “final four” berths here Thursday afternoon as six other men’s teams remain in contention for the gold medal at the US$350,000 China Shanghai Jinshan Open.

While fourth-seeded Penggen Wu and Linyin Xu of China were netting their second-straight SWATCG-FIVB World Tour semi-final appearance this season and fifth since starting their partnership at the end of the 2005 season, Marcio Araujo and Fabio Magalhaes of Brazil remained “perfect” on the Jinshan Beach courts with their third-consecutive “final four” appearance in as many Shanghai appearances.

Wu and Xu, who advanced to the finals of the season-opening SWATCH event at the end of March in Adelaide, Australia, before settling for the silver medal, scored wins over teams from Norway Switzerland to become the first Chinese men’s tandem to advance to the semi-finals of a FIVB stop staged in the Asian country.

After posting a 21-8 and 21-16 win in 36 minutes over 21st-seeded Jorre Kjemperud and Tarjei Skarlund of Norway, Wu and Xu advanced to one of two final men’s matches on Friday by defeating ninth-seeded Martin Laciga and Jan Schnider of Switzerland.

“We are excited to achieve better success this year after disappointing our crowd last year,” said 22-year old Xu as his team has now posted a 10-2 match mark this season. “Our early success is due to our overall condition as we trained very hard in the off-season with our coaches. As we prepare for Beijing, our goal is to continue to improve our Olympic standing to qualify among the top six teams for August Games.”

Marcio Araujo and Fabio gained a semi-final berth for the first-time this season after placing ninth in Adelaide. The Brazilians have now reached the “final four” in five of their last six SWATCH starts.

The third-seeded Marcio Araujo and Fabio defeated Brazilian rivals and seventh-seeded Pedro Cunha and Franco Neto 21-19, 16-21 and 15-10 in 65 minutes. Marcio Araujo and Fabio opened play by out-lasting sixth-seeded Andrew Schacht and Joshua Slack of Australia 21-15, 18-21 and 20-18 in 65 minutes.

Both Laciga/Schnider and Cunha/Franco will get a second chance for a semi-final spot Friday as the Beach Volleyball pairs await elimination matches featuring teams from Australia, Brazil, Norway and Spain as top-seeded Emanuel Rego and Ricardo Santos dropped a pair of matches Friday to placed ninth in the competition. The reigning Olympic champions and 2005 China Shanghai Jinshan Open silver medal winners, Emanuel and Ricardo were eliminated in two sets by 12th-seeded Pablo Herrera and Raul Mesa of Spain.

**truebluefan** · 05-05-2008, 05:32 PM

Second-seeded Harley Marques/Pedro Salgado and seventh-seeded Pedro Cunha/Franco Neto, both from Brazil, joined compatriots Marcio Araujo/Fabio Magalhaes and Wu Penggen/Xu Linyin of China in the US$350,000 China Shanghai Jinshan Open men’s semi-finals here Friday.

Marcio Araujo/Fabio and Wu/Xu advanced to the “final four” Thursday by completing their winner’s bracket schedule with 4-0 match marks each and Harley Marques/Pedro Salgado and Pedro Cunha/Franco Neto had to win elimination matches Friday morning.

Cunha and Franco, who dropped into the elimination bracket after losing 21-19, 16-21 and 15-10 in 65 minutes in Marcio Araujo and Fabio Thursday afternoon, advanced to their semi-final in 32 international starts together with 21-19 and 21-19 win in 50 minutes over 21st-seeded Jorre Kjemperud and Tarjei Skarlund of Norway.

After losing to Cunha and Franco 21-18 and 21-19 Thursday morning, Harley and Salgado have won three-straight elimination matches to advance to “final four”.

Harley and Salgado opened play Friday with a 21-19, 19-21 and 15-11 win in 63 minutes over sixth-seeded Andrew Schacht and Joshua Slack of Australia before advancing to their eighth FIVB semi-final in 18 SWATCH starts with a 21-18 and 21-16 victory in 43 minutes over eighth-seeded Martin Laciga and Jan Schnider of Switzerland.

The men’s semi-final winners will play Saturday afternoon for the $28,000 first-place prize in the second of 16 double gender events on the 2008 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour calendar.

**truebluefan** · 05-05-2008, 05:33 PM

Harley Marques/Pedro Salgado of Brazil and Wu Penggen/Xu Linyin from China won their semi-final matches here Friday afternoon in the US$350,000 China Shanghai Jinshan Open and will will compete for a gold medal in the final on Saturday.

With three teams from Brazil in a FIVB “final four” for the 46th-time in 210 SWATCH events since the start of the men’s international tour in 1987, the fourth-seeded Wu and Xu spoiled the South Americans bid for all three podium spots for the 23rd-time by defeating seventh-seeded Pedro Cunha and Franco Neto 22-20 and 21-18 in 46 minutes.

The second-seeded Harley and Salgado earned their second-straight trip to a China Shanghai Jinshan Open medal match by out-lasting Brazilian rivals and third-seeded Marcio Araujo and Fabio Magalhaes 21-15, 14-14 and 15-11 in 63 minutes.

“We look forward to meeting the Chinese again for a gold medal,” said the 22-year old Salgado, who teamed with Harley to defeat Wu and Xu 23-21 and 21-12 in 46 minutes in the finals of the Adelaide Australia Open March 30.

“It is a thrill for us to play so well this week in front of the Chinese fans and our families,” said the 25-year old Wu. “It is even better to play in two-straight finals. We have worked hard to get to a point where we can compete each week for a medal. This tour is so difficult with a lot of teams capable of winning. We have been fortunate in the first two events this year to play very consistently.”

With China hosting the Beijing 2008 Olympics, Wu and Xu are seeking to finish in the top six qualifiers for the Summer Games in the Chinese capital to earn the No. 1-seed among the 24 teams earning a berth in Beach Volleyball’s most prestigious event. Wu and Xu are currently fourth on the Beijing qualifying list with 4,000 points for their best eight finishes since the start of the Olympic process in May 2007.

**truebluefan** · 05-05-2008, 05:33 PM

Brazil and host China earned the first two semi-final spots in China Shanghai Jinshan Open after winning a pair of Beach Volleyball matches each here Friday, but the South American entry of Talita Antunes and Renata Ribeiro was a “surprise”.

Seeded fourth in the 32-team women’s Main Draw at the US$350,000 China Shanghai Jinshan Open, Talita and Renata upset top-seeded Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca to join third-seeded Xue Chen and Zhang Xi of China as the only unbeaten teams in the second SWATCH_FIVB World Tour event this season.

Talita and Renata beat their Brazilian rivals 21-19 and 21-19 win in 44 minutes. In the previous 24 international meetings between the two teams, Juliana and Larissa won 21 times, including two wins at March’s season opening event in Australia.

Before Talita and Renata advanced to the “final four”, Xue and Zhang gained a semi-final berth by defeating seventh-seeded Rieke Brink-Abeler and Hella Jurich of Germany 21-14 and 21-16 in 36 minutes.

Tian Jia and Wang Jie, who were upset in the first-round Thursday by 31st-seeded Mayra Garcia and Bibiana Candelas of Mexico, were attempting to become the first women’s team ever to win six-straight elimination matches to reach a SWATCH semi-final. However, sixth-seeded Tamsin Barnett and Natalie Cook spoiled the Chinese bid with a 21-18 and 21-16 elimination win in 46 minutes over Tian and Wang.

Cook, the three-time Olympian and Sydney 2000 gold medalist with Kerri Pottharst, and Barnett face Garcia and Bibiana Candelas. The winner of the Australia-Mexico match challenges Juliana and Larissa for a semi-final spot opposite of Xue and Zhang, who defeated Cook and Barnett earlier Friday 21-19 and 23-21 in 49 minutes.

In the upper half of the contender’s bracket, fifth-seeded Shelda Bede and Ana Paula Connelly of Brazil play ninth-seeded Vasso Karadassiou and Vassiliki Arvaniti of Greece with the winner challenging Brink-Abeler and Jurch for a “final four” spot opposite of Talita and Renata.

**truebluefan** · 05-05-2008, 05:34 PM

China’s only hope to win the gold medal at the China Shanghai Jinshan Open was broken as Xue Chen and Zhang Xi were defeated by top-seeded Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca in straight sets in one of the semifinals here on Saturday.

Juliana and Larissa advanced to the finals with a 26-24 and 21-14 win in 43 minutes over third-seeded Xue and Zhang in a match that featured former China Shanghai Jinshan Open champions.

Juliana and Larissa, who advanced to the semi-finals with a 21-15 and 21-13 win in 43 minutes earlier Saturday over sixth-seeded Tamsin Barnett and Natalie Cook of Australia, won the 2005 Jinshan crown and the Chinese were the gold medal winners in 2006 when Xue was only 17.

Juliana and Larissa will play against fourth-seeded Talita Antunes and Renata Ribeiro for the $28,000 first-place prize. Talita and Renata, who snapped a seven-match losing streak to Juliana and Larissa Friday with a 21-19 and 21-19 victory in the winner’s bracket quarter-finals, advanced to their 10th SWATCH FIVB World Tour gold medal match by defeating fifth-seeded Shelda Bede and Ana Paula Connelly of Brazil 17-21, 21-17 and 15-7 in 48 minutes.

Shelda and Ana Paula, who had to win three elimination matches to reach the semi-finals, dropped a 21-13 and 24-22 decision to Talita and Renata in the third-round of the winner’s bracket Friday.

“That a great win for us,” said the 26 year old Renata. “Shelda and Ana Paula will make a serious run at us for the second Brazilian berth in the Olympics. They are so experienced and competent on the sand. Shelda and Ana Paula played great in the first set, but once we calmed down, we were able to play better and eliminated our mistakes.”

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