2006 Women's World Championship – Jamaica
Jamaica all set for 'Road to Japan' campaign (FIVB)
04/14/2005
April 14, 2005 - Jamaica begin their quest for a place
at the 2006 Women's World Volleyball Championship in
Japan by hosting a first round tournament for the North,
Central America and the Caribbean Confederation (NORCECA)
region at the National Indoor Sport Centre in Kingston
starting on Friday.
The 2006 Women’s World Volleyball Championship has
attracted 99 teams worldwide and Jamaica, who are ranked
46th in the world and number two in the Caribbean
region, will begin their 'Road to Japan' quest against
the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and the
Netherlands Antilles over the weekend.
The British Virgin Islands and the Netherlands Antilles
will open the tournament in Kingston at 6:00pm (local
time) on Friday evening, with Jamaica bowing into action
against the Cayman Islands at 8:00.
On Saturday, the Cayman Islands will meet the
Netherlands Antilles while Jamaica will face the British
Virgin Islands and on the final day, Sunday, the Cayman
Islands will clash with the British Virgin Islands and
Jamaica will bring the curtains down on the tournament
with a game against the Netherlands Antilles.
Jamaica Volleyball chairman Bevon Morrison made the
announcement at a press conference at the Knutsford
Court Hotel in Kingston on Wednesday and according to an
optimistic Jamaica Volleyball Association (JAVA)
president Carole Beckford, "our commitment is to
celebrate 45 years this year as an organised sport in
Jamaica by reaching the final round of our first Women's
World Championship in Japan next year".
"We reached the second round of the Women's World
Championship in 2002 and at present the team is highly
motivated and committed to reach Japan," Beckford added.
The winner of the Kingston tournament will advance to a
second round tournament to be held in Santo Domingo from
August 24-28 to compete against Cuba, a former Women's
World Volleyball Championship winner, Costa Rica, hosts the Dominican Republic
and another first round winner. The top three teams will
then advance to the final round.
In an attempt to make the 'Road to Japan' a reality for
Volleyball, one of Jamaica's 17 Olympic sports, a number
of sponsors have lent their support and the Jamaica
Olympic Association (JOA) president Mike Fennell was
heartened by the gesture: "I thank you all very, very
much for your participation," he said. "Volleyball is a
major sport. When you view the statistics worldwide, it
blows your mind - by the viewership of live television
coverage; live spectator audiences; the number of
players taking part; the number of affiliated
associations and the development programmes taking
place."
