2012 Olympic Games

  • After World Cup and all qualification tournaments we know who's going to play at Olympic Games.


    July 29th - August 12th, Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London


    GROUP A:
    Great Britain (host)
    Italy (european qualification tournament's winner)
    Poland (2nd place - 2011 World Cup)
    Argentina (South american qualification tournament's winner)
    Bulgaria (international qualification tournament's winner/Bulgaria)
    Australia (2nd place - international qualification tournament/Japan)


    GROUP B:
    Brazil (3rd place - 2011 World Cup)
    Russia (2011 World Cup - winner)
    USA (North American qualification tournament's winner)
    Serbia (international qualification tournament's winner/Japan)
    Germany (international qualification tournament's winner/Germany)
    Tunisia (african qualification tournament's winner)


    Pools confirmed by FIVB: http://www.fivb.org/viewPressR….asp?No=35199&Language=en


    SCHEDULE OF GAME:
    http://www.fivb.org/viewPressR….asp?No=35388&Language=en


    Sunday, July 29
    09:30 - 11:00 - GBR-BUL 0:3
    11:30 - 13:00 - RUS-GER 3:0
    14:45 - 16:15 - AUS-ARG 0:3
    16:45 - 18:15 - USA-SRB 0:3
    20:00 - 21:30 - ITA-POL 1:3
    22:00 - 23:30 - BRA-TUN 3:0


    Tuesday, July 31
    09:30 - 11:00 - SRB-TUN 3:1
    11:30 - 13:00 - POL-BUL 1:3
    14:45 - 16:15 - ITA-ARG 3:1
    16:45 - 18:15 - USA-GER 3:0
    20:00 - 21:30 - GBR-AUS 0:3
    22:00 - 23:30 - BRA-RUS 3:0


    Thursday, August 2
    09:30 - 11:00 - SRB-GER 2:3
    11:30 - 13:00 - AUS-BUL 0:3
    14:45 - 16:15 - RUS-TUN 3:0
    16:45 - 18:15 - POL-ARG 3:0
    20:00 - 21:30 - BRA-USA 1:3
    22:00 - 23:30 - GBR-ITA 0:3


    Saturday, August 4
    09:30 - 11:00 - GER-TUN 3:0
    11:30 - 13:00 - POL-GBR 3:0
    14:45 - 16:15 - AUS-ITA 2:3
    16:45 - 18:15 - RUS-USA 3:2
    20:00 - 21:30 - ARG-BUL
    22:00 - 23:30 - BRA-SRB


    Monday, August 6
    09:30 - 11:00 - AUS-POL
    11:30 - 13:00 - RUS-SRB
    14:45 - 16:15 - ITA-BUL
    16:45 - 18:15 - GBR-ARG
    20:00 - 21:30 - USA-TUN
    22:00 - 23:30 - BRA-GER


    Some photos and informations about Earls Court Exhibition Centre, where volleyball teams will fight for medals.

    your right - Earls Court One, middle - Earls Court Two, left - Empress State Building.

    Earls Court Two


    Number of seats: 15000
    Was established in: 1937
    Hall is divided into two - in Earls Court One teams will play, in Earls Court Two - train and participate in press conferences.


    ROSTERS:
    GREAT BRITAIN
    OH: Nathan French, Mark Plotyczer, Andrew Pink, Joel Miller
    OPP: Dami Bakare, Jason Haldane
    MB: Chris Lamont, Mark McGivern, Peter Bakare
    S: Ben Pipes, Kieran O'Malley
    L: Dan Hunter


    BULGARIA
    S: Georgi Bratoev, Dobromir Dimitrov
    OH: Todor Alexiev, Nikolay Penchev, Valentin Bratoev, Todor Skrimov
    OPP: Tsvetan Sokolov, Vladimir Nikolov(captain)
    MB: Nikolay Nikolov, Teodor Todorov, Victor Yosifov
    L: Teodor Salparov


    POLAND
    S: Zagumny, Zygadlo
    MB: Nowakowski, Mozdzonek, Kosok
    OPP: Bartman, Jarosz
    OH: Kurek, Winiarski, Ruciak, Kubiak
    L: Ignaczak


    ITALY
    L: Bari, Giovi
    S: Travica, Bonifante
    MB: Birarelli, Fei, Mastrangelo
    OH: Savani, Zaytsev, Parodi, Papi
    OPP: Łasko


    GERMANY
    L: M. Steuerwald
    S: Tischer, Kampa
    MB: Gunthor, Bohme, Dunnes
    OH: Schwarz, Andrae, Popp, Kaliberda
    OPP: Grozer, Schops


    RUSSIA
    L: Alexander Sokolov, Alexey Obmochaev
    S: Sergey Grankin, Alexander Butko
    MB: Alexander Volkov, Dimitriy Muserskiy, Nikolay Apalikov
    OH: Sergey Tetyukhin, Yury Berzehko, Taras Khtey, Dimitriy Ilinykh
    OPP: Maxim Mikhaylov


    BRAZIL
    L: Sergio
    S: Bruno, Ricardo
    MB: Sidao, Lucas, Rodrigao
    OH: Murilo, Dante, Thiago Alves, Giba
    OPP: Leandro Visotto, Wallace


    ARGENTINA
    OPP: Federico Pereyra, Iván Castellani
    S: Luciano De Cecco, Nicolás Uriarte
    MB: Sebastián Solé, Pablo Crer, Gabriel Arroyo
    OH: Nicolas Bruno, Facundo Conte, Rodrigo Quiroga, Cristian Poglajen
    L: Alexis González


    UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
    L: Richard Lambourne
    S: Donald Suxho, Brian Thornton
    MB: David Lee, Russell Holmes, David Smith
    OH: William Priddy, Matthew Anderson, Sean Rooney, Paul Lotman
    OPP: Clayton Stanley, David McKienzie


    SERBIA
    OH: Kovacevic N., Kovacevic U., Janic, Nikic
    OPP: Starovic, Atanasijevic
    S: Petkovic, Mitic
    MB: Stankovic, Podrascanin, Rasic
    L: Rosic


    AUSTRALIA
    S: Peacock, Sukochev
    WING SPIKERS: Roberts, Yudin, White, Smith, Williams, Edgar
    MB: Zingel, Passier, Grant
    L: Tutton


    TUNISIA
    WING SPIKERS: Noureddine Hfaiedh, Ismail Moalla, Marouane M'rabet, Elyes Karamosly, Hamza Nagga, Hichem Kaabi, Hakim Zouari
    MB: Ahmed Kadhi, Bilel Ben Hassine
    S: Mohamed Ben Slimane, Mehdi Ben Cheikh
    L: Anouer Taouerghi

  • I tend to consider this as the final distribution because it was the same way/system back in 2008 in Beijing. The places of Poland and USA were reverse back then, the distribution was otherwise the same. The big question mark in Pool B is how prepared Germany will be this time as 4 years ago they couldn't make it to the 1/4-finals. This year I am sure they will place higher, maybe they can surprise both USA and Serbia. In Pool A the four favourites were drawn together for last year's WL final round pool. I doubt Australia will have something to say in this pool, but we'll see. What makes me eager here are two things - first, how Argentina will appear in London, in other words, are they ready to finally beat Poland and dream of medals, second, of course, who will coach/play for Bulgaria this summer, there are still important decisions to be made and our whole Olympic performance may depend on that, even if we are quite deservedly not among the medal favourites.

  • Please do not underestimate Australia. They are able to surprise us in one match against very strong team !
    Germany performance depends mostly on Grozer and ... in case he will be blocked Germany will be "blocked".
    Argentina, Serbia and USA - question marks - we will see at World League what is their present "volleyball's level" ?

  • I tend to consider this as the final distribution because it was the same way/system back in 2008 in Beijing. The places of Poland and USA were reverse back then, the distribution was otherwise the same. The big question mark in Pool B is how prepared Germany will be this time as 4 years ago they couldn't make it to the 1/4-finals. This year I am sure they will place higher, maybe they can surprise both USA and Serbia. In Pool A the four favourites were drawn together for last year's WL final round pool. I doubt Australia will have something to say in this pool, but we'll see. What makes me eager here are two things - first, how Argentina will appear in London, in other words, are they ready to finally beat Poland and dream of medals, second, of course, who will coach/play for Bulgaria this summer, there are still important decisions to be made and our whole Olympic performance may depend on that, even if we are quite deservedly not among the medal favourites.


    If we have full team with Matey Kaziyski will be very probable semifinal for us, but if nothing changes in Bulgaria, even a quarterfinal will be huge accomplishment

  • I like our group ^^ We have the potential to beat everyone. Poland will be the hardest for us for sure, but I get a feeling that this year will be the year we break the polish curse. I doubt Australia can make it to QF, though they will win sets now and then unlike Britain.

  • What is the scheme for the quaterfinals?


    1A x 4B, 2A x 3B, 3A x 2B, 4A x 1B or something else?


    A friend told me that 1a plays with 4b and reverse, but the 2nd and 3rd teams are determined by a draw lot, so 2A can play vs. 2B.


    The groups are exactly like WL Finals 2011, when Poland, Bulgaria, Italy and Argentina were in the same group and USA, Russia, Brazil and Cuba(now Germany) in the other.


    From the recent condition of the teams I expect a good performance by Germany, they are not all Grozer in my opinion. You can't say such things. Both Serbia and USA are weaker and they'll fight for 4th place. They might be surprises(both teams raise up their levels for the Olympics, according to Serbian mentallity and American Olympic mindset) but I think they will be a good present for the team from the other group who will face them in 1/4 finals.


    In the other group, Italy are favourites, IMO. Argentina are a full enigma. Poland and Bulgaria are shaky. I expect something like: Poland beats Argentina, Argentina beats Bulgaria, Bulgaria beats Italy. Italy beats Poland, etc. The group seems easier, no Russia, no Brazil, but Group A is with very equal teams.

  • Awesome, thanks :thumbsup:


    Is there any standard format for the order that the pool games are played in? I heard A1vA2, B1vB2, A3vA4 on the first day and so on, mentioned… Sounds consistent with some reports I've heard, but what about previous tournaments?

  • Will someone record the matches?

    It's possible, you just have to believe in yourself and really not care what other people say, because I've heard it all.
    If you let someone else dictate what you're going to do in life, then you won't get there.


    Non so neanche come onestamente: in due mesi ero di nuovo in campo.



  • Opponents for Poland are sequentially Italy, Bulgaria, Argentina, British and Australia, seemingly from strong to weak. I don't think it's a comfortable schedule for Poland. Apart from difficult beginning, two weak teams in the end won't contribute to their status in quarterfinal.

  • Why they made this schedule with specified time of matches? Brazil plays almost always at 9 pm, who knows, if the matches end later, than 1,5 hour they will have to play at night or at the next day?

  • I suppose "at night"

    It's possible, you just have to believe in yourself and really not care what other people say, because I've heard it all.
    If you let someone else dictate what you're going to do in life, then you won't get there.


    Non so neanche come onestamente: in due mesi ero di nuovo in campo.



  • Why they made this schedule with specified time of matches? Brazil plays almost always at 9 pm, who knows, if the matches end later, than 1,5 hour they will have to play at night or at the next day?


    they don't play the next day but the day after: one day women, one day men, one women, one men....and so on. So they will have at least 24 hours to recover!

  • Why they made this schedule with specified time of matches? Brazil plays almost always at 9 pm, who knows, if the matches end later, than 1,5 hour they will have to play at night or at the next day?


    Probably they will play through the night to the next day in some of the matches. But it doesn't matter that much cause they still have one day for a rest. BTW: There is a typo in the schedule where the teams involved with the fourth match of the second round are not USA&ARG, but USA&GER.Maybe you can make a re-edit. :)