FIVB PRESIDENT JIZHONG WEI WILL ATTEND TO NORCECA’S OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENT IN TIJUANA

TIJUANA, Mexico, March 28 2012.- FIVB President Jizhong Wei will be the guest of honor during the Norceca’s Olympic Qualification Tournament to be played in the City of Tijuana.

Wei will attend to the competition scheduled from April 27th thru May 6th at the Baja California High Performance Center.

Thus every detail and preparation issues have been reviewed by the Local Organising Committee. Logistics, attention to participants, control committee members and visitors were part of the agenda at the latest meeting .

The job of the volunteers was another important issue, due to the protocols and working guidelines for the competition that will give one ticket toLondon 2012 to the winning team.

The organising committee members agreed to create a great atmosphere in Tijuana, a city that has hosted a lot of FIVB and Norceca Events such as Pan Am Cups as well as Youth and Junior World Championships.

The first date of this competition is scheduled on April 29th, but from the 27th the first training sessions will take place as well as some scrimmage matches. During the meeting in Tijuana, the proposed schedule for practices and oficial matches was presented.

Some national teams like Dominican Republic will arrive in advance to Mexico. Dominicans are expected for a 10 day training camp with a roster composed of many international stars such as libero Brenda Castillo, who conquered a lot of honors at the Pan Am Games of Guadalajara 2011.

According to the proposed Schedule, the beginning of the practice sessions for the competing teams will be on April 27th, with Mexico and Honduras, that will stard at 3:30 PM (local time). Following them, Canada and Costa Rica will start at 5:00 PM. Cuba and Puerto Rico will practice at 6:30 PM while Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago will close the first day of practice sessions at 8:00 PM.

On Saturday April 28th, the Practical Clinic for Volunteers and Referees will take place at the Multipurpose Gym, while the opening of the torunament is scheduled on Sunay 29th noon.

TIJUANA PREPARES FOR THE WOMEN’S OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENT

TIJUANA, Mexico, March 24 2012.— The Local Organising Committe of the NORCECA’s Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament reviewed updates in preparation of the competition that will take place from April 27th thru May 6th at the Baja California High Performance Center.

Personnel of the Baja California Sports and Physical Culture Institute as well as the Mexican Volleyball Federation and the Baja California Volleyball State Assotiation held a coordination meeting with all the commissions involved.

“This will be a high level event, because we will receive FIVB President Jizhong Wei, who will be here following the competition from the beginning to the end, thus we have to work on every detail in the organization, promotion and attention to all our guests and participants”, said Saul Castro Verdugo, General Director of the Baja California Sports Institute and Norceca’s First Vicepresident.

“We have been working closely and with a lot of enthusiasm in many of this kind of events for almost eleven years”, he added. “The work developed by every commission will be important from the previous preparation, the opening and awards ceremony as well as the stay of the teams to guarantee the success of the event”.

The competition Pools are already defined. The national teams of Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Canada and Honduras will be part of Pool “A”, while the host, Mexico will play the first round in Pool “B” along with Cuba, Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago.

The champion of this tournament will qualify the Olympic Games of London 2012, while the best ranked team that doesn’t win this tournament will have a new chance to clinch the berth in a repechage tournament to be played in Japan on May.

BAJA VOLLEY GIRLS, CROWNED IN THE USA

Melissa Romero, 16, Team Captain.

TIJUANA, Mexico March 24 2012.— The Baja California Girls State Team won the 16 and Under Championship of the Southern California Volleyball Association, thar was played in Anaheim, United States.

The Mexican youngsters participated in this competition as part of their preparation for the National Junior Olympic Championship, organized by the National Sports Commission (CONADE).

“We are very happy for this championship, we faced a lot of good teams during the process. We won most of our matches were in two sets. The only match that lasted a more than usual was against Hawaii, but in the end we finished with a victory in three”, said head coach Neri Bernal, who was assisted by Ruben Cheu and Gabriel Sandoval as statician.

The hawaiian team was seeded as number 1 in this competition, but after the defeat against Baja, finished in 7th. “The level of the tournament was increasing match by match and we improved set by set. I am sure this will help us for the Nationals in Mexico”, Bernal added.

Most of the girls of this team are from the cities of Tijuana and Mexicali, and hold their training camps at the Baja California High Performance Center. This week they were congratulated in a meeting held by the Baja California Sports and Physical Culture Institute Director, Saul Castro Verdugo.

“We are very proud about you, for your participation and quality shown in Southern California”, said Castro Verdugo “The opportunity of competing in this kind tournaments has increased the level of our teams and every time they play in the United States are seen with a lot of respect by the Americans”.

INDE’s Director said this kind of achievements also implicate a big responsibility. “It is great to enjoy a victory like this, but at the same time we have to be prepared for the next commitment. You can only prove that you are the best when you show it on the court”.

The next and most important commitment of the Baja California Volleyball program will be at the Nationals to be played in Guanajuato by the beginning of June. 

MEXICO GETS READY TO RECEIVE JIZHONG WEI

The Local Organising Committee of the Norceca
Women's Olympic Qualification Tournament
presented updates during its coordination meeting.

TIJUANA, Mexico, March 24 2012.— The Local Organising Committe of the NORCECA’s Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament reviewed updates in preparation of the competition that will take place from April 27th thru May 6th at the Baja California High Performance Center.

Personnel of the Baja California Sports and Physical Culture Institute as well as the Mexican Volleyball Federation and the Baja California Volleyball State Assotiation held a coordination meeting with all the commissions involved.

“This will be a high level event, because we will receive FIVB President Jizhong Wei, who will be here following the competition from the beginning to the end, thus we have to work on every detail in the organization, promotion and attention to all our guests and participants”, said Saul Castro Verdugo, General Director of the Baja California Sports Institute and Norceca’s First Vicepresident.

“We have been working closely and with a lot of enthusiasm in many of this kind of events for almost eleven years”, he added. “The work developed by every commission will be important from the previous preparation, the opening and awards ceremony as well as the stay of the teams to guarantee the success of the event”.

The competition Pools are already defined. The national teams of Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Canada and Honduras will be part of Pool “A”, while the host, Mexico will play the first round in Pool “B” along with Cuba, Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago.

The champion of this tournament will qualify the Olympic Games of London 2012, while the best ranked team that doesn’t win this tournament will have a new chance to clinch the berth in a repechage tournament to be played in Japan on May.

TIJUANA PREPARES FOR OLYMPIC QUALIFIER

Official Image of the event.

TIJUANA, Mexico - The Baja California Sports and Physical Culture Institute along with the Tijuana Mayor’s Office announced the preparation of the Norceca Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament to be held from April 27 to May 6.

During the meeting with Mayor Carlos Bustamante Anchondo, and members of the media at the Tijuana City Hall, Baja California Sports Director Saul Castro Verdugo presented the updates on behalf of the organizing committee.

“This competition is an opportunity to work together in benefit of our city,” Castro Verdugo said. “That will be a very important stop in the road to London 2012.”

The National teams of Cuba, Dominican Republic, Canada, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Honduras and Mexico have been registered to play for a berth to the Olympic Games.

“The High Performance Center is a great stage, and this will be a very positive impact for the image of Tijuana and will be seen in many parts abroad,” Bustamante Anchondo said, who showed the interest in supporting the organization. 

VIVIANA AND MAYRA SET A NEW HIGH AT THE INTERNATIONAL BEACH VOLLEYBALL CIRUIT

Bibiana Candelas and Mayra García,
crowned as champions in Grand Cayman.

SEVEN MILES BEACH, Grand Cayman (NORCECA) -  Bibiana Candelas and Mayra Garcia took home the women’s gold medal by defeating fellow countrywomen Martha Revuelta and Vanessa Virgen 2-0 (21-6, 21-19) in the final of the Cayman Islands 2012 NORCECA’s Beach Volleyball Tournament.

Candelas and Garcia of MEX-2 won the title undefeated, dominating the whole tournament. Candelas/Garcia downed Revuelta/Virgen in the first set, and even though the losers had a great come back in the second set it wasn’t enough.

The champs moved on to the gold medal match defeating Puerto Rico’s Yarleen Santiago and Yamileska Yantin 2-0 (21-17, 21-11).  Meanwhile, Martha Revuelta and Vanessa Virgen of MEX-1 prevailed in a three-setter semifinal against Jennifer Snyder and Heather Hughes of USA-1 21-19, 19-21 and 15-13.

“The heat and sun were intense but we made a good job,” Garcia said. “We´ve been training for the Olympic qualifier, and now we’ll be headed to Brazil and China for the Swatch FIVB World Tour.”

 “The year is beginning great, this will motivate us to work even harder and it was wonderful that Mexico made it to the finals with both teams,” added Candelas.

Yarleen Santiago and Yamileska Yantin of Puerto Rico won the bronze medal with a 2-0 (21-16, 21-19) victory over Americans Jennifer Snyder and Heather Hughes.

Women’s Semifinal: MEX-2 d. PUR 2-0 (21-17, 21-11); MEX-1 d. USA-1 2-1 (21-19, 19-21, 15-13). Bronze Medal Match: PUR d. USA-1 2-0 (21-16, 21-19). Gold Medal Match: MEX-2 d. MEX-1 2-0 (21-6, 21-19).

INSPIRATION FOR THE NEW GENERATIONS

Carolina Mendoza clinched a berth to the Olympics of
London 2012. She is only 14 years old 

TIJUANA, México.— The FINA Diving World Series will be an inspirational experience for the young divers of Baja California.

Many of them are at this time competin at the national championships as well as in preparation for the national junior olympic tournament.

Coaches of the State Program agreed that a Fina event at the stage where they practice everyday will be a special motivation.

¨We are talking about the best of the World athletes and we will see them competing here, that is a highly positive impact for our kids ¨ said Andres Romo,  who is one of the coaches assigned to the state sports program.

Beside these expectations , the Mexican Team that qualified to the olympics of London 2012 will be at their final stage in it´s own soil the prior to the most importan competition of the World.

Some other teams like China or Australia are also expected, Romo stated.

¨We will have the greatest divers who will contend for medals at the olympics¨, He said. “In one way or another this experience will be reflected in our divers¨.

Just a few days ago two, of the youngest divers in México, qualified to the olympics after a successful participation at the Fina diving World cup celebrated in London.

Mendoza participated and the diving world cup
last february in London

Carolina Mendoza and Alejandra Orozco (14 years old both) made history after clinching the olympic berth along with Beijing 2008 Bronze medalist Paola Espinosa, as well as some other experienced divers like Yahel Castillo.

Various Youngsters have been added to the Mexican roster in preparation to the olympics an are expected to be in Tijuana, Juan Sanchez, Daniel Islas and Ivan García are part of a generation produced by the national junior olympics program, promoted by the national sports comisión (CONNADE), the Mexican Olympic Committe and the state sports institutes located throughout the country that serve as regional or local sports ministries.

¨The success of these girls at the world cup, is a signal that everything is possible”, said coach Romo. “These youngsters showed that they can reach the highest level regardies ther age as long as they can prove their quality and an example of motivation”.