Yoshie Takeshita
World bronze medallists Serbia and Japan clinched tickets for the Beijing Olympics women's volleyball when they coasted to fifth straight wins in the final qualifying round on Friday.
Serbia whipped Puerto Rico 25-12, 25-18, 25-18, while Japan outclassed archrivals South Korea 25-20, 25-19, 21-25, 25-13 to remain unbeaten in the eight-team round robin competition.
The winners of the tournament, along with the best-placed Asian nation and the two other best-placed teams from the remaining six, qualify for the Games in August.
Poland downed Thailand 18-25, 25-14, 25-19, 25-23 to move closer towards Beijing with a 4-1 win-loss record ahead of the Dominican Republic and South Korea with 2-3, Thailand and Puerto Rico with 1-4, and Kazakhstan with 0-5.
Earlier in the day, Kazakhstan's hopes of reaching Beijing fizzled out after they were beaten 25-20, 25-22, 25-17 by the Dominican Republic.
"I can't explain my feeling. I feel some pleasure that I never felt before in my life ... going to the Olympics," said Serbia's ace attacker Jelena Nikolic.
She said the team had played "with one heart," adding: "We had a lot of pressure, but we showed that we are a big team."
Since being appointed Serbia coach in 2002, Zoran Terzic pointed out that the team had qualified for every major tournament and had won silver in the European championships and bronze at the world championships.
"It was very special for us. Of course, it was a little tough at the start of the game because we were under pressure, but I really want to congratulate my players," Terzic said.
"This is the first time in the history of Serbia that the volleyball national team has qualified for the Olympic Games. We made something special and, of course, we are very, very happy because of that."
Meanwhile, Japanese captain Yoshie Takeshita steadied herself despite the jubilation in front of a partisan crowd.
"It was really tough to qualify, but we just came to the starting line for the Beijing Olympics. I'm determined to fight match by match, set by set and point by point every time," said Takeshita.
Japan coach Shoichi Yanagimoto said: "We didn't have enough time to prepare for the tournament, but each player knows her role very well and did their best together."
"We had so many difficulties in the history of the past four years. It is the result of our hard work that we are now in this position," added Yanagimoto.
Serbia whipped Puerto Rico 25-12, 25-18, 25-18, while Japan outclassed archrivals South Korea 25-20, 25-19, 21-25, 25-13 to remain unbeaten in the eight-team round robin competition.
The winners of the tournament, along with the best-placed Asian nation and the two other best-placed teams from the remaining six, qualify for the Games in August.
Poland downed Thailand 18-25, 25-14, 25-19, 25-23 to move closer towards Beijing with a 4-1 win-loss record ahead of the Dominican Republic and South Korea with 2-3, Thailand and Puerto Rico with 1-4, and Kazakhstan with 0-5.
Earlier in the day, Kazakhstan's hopes of reaching Beijing fizzled out after they were beaten 25-20, 25-22, 25-17 by the Dominican Republic.
"I can't explain my feeling. I feel some pleasure that I never felt before in my life ... going to the Olympics," said Serbia's ace attacker Jelena Nikolic.
She said the team had played "with one heart," adding: "We had a lot of pressure, but we showed that we are a big team."
Since being appointed Serbia coach in 2002, Zoran Terzic pointed out that the team had qualified for every major tournament and had won silver in the European championships and bronze at the world championships.
"It was very special for us. Of course, it was a little tough at the start of the game because we were under pressure, but I really want to congratulate my players," Terzic said.
"This is the first time in the history of Serbia that the volleyball national team has qualified for the Olympic Games. We made something special and, of course, we are very, very happy because of that."
Meanwhile, Japanese captain Yoshie Takeshita steadied herself despite the jubilation in front of a partisan crowd.
"It was really tough to qualify, but we just came to the starting line for the Beijing Olympics. I'm determined to fight match by match, set by set and point by point every time," said Takeshita.
Japan coach Shoichi Yanagimoto said: "We didn't have enough time to prepare for the tournament, but each player knows her role very well and did their best together."
"We had so many difficulties in the history of the past four years. It is the result of our hard work that we are now in this position," added Yanagimoto.
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8:48 AM
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