Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 5 : The IT city of Bengaluru is all set to host the Men's Volleyball Club World Championships 2023, which will feature some "global stars" of the game.
Ahead of the five-day volleyball tomorrow that begins tomorrow at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium, representatives of all six teams and key organizers addressed a press conference in Bengaluru.
The tournament will see participation of Prime Volleyball League Season 2 reigning champions Ahmedabad Defenders, with the Indian stars getting an opportunity to showcase their skills against the best of the world, as they vie for the coveted trophy.
Srajan Shetty, the Karnataka lad who will feature in the Ahmedabad Defenders campaign said it is "an immense privilege and matter of pride for us to participate" in the Men's Volleyball Club World Championships on home soil. "The tournament not only provides us with a golden opportunity to play with the best players in the world but also to showcase the true potential of Indian Volleyball."
Apart from the Ahmedabad Defenders, the competition will feature reigning champions Sir Safety Susa Perugia from Italy, the formidable Brazilian club of Sada Cruzeiro Volei, who are four-time winners of the tournament, Minas Tenis Clube (Ittambe Minas) making their third appearance in the competition, following a fourth-place finish last year. Also debuting this year will be Japan's Suntory Sunbirds Club and Turkey's Halkbank Spor Kulubu, a release said.
Sharing his thoughts on his team's prospects in the tournament, Wilfredo Leon, captain of Sir Safety Susa Perugia, remarked, "We come here with a lot of expectations and a positive energy to retain the title. I have played this tournament many times and to win it again would be huge for our team, especially to win it in India. There are so many big stars at this tournament, and it is a great way to show volleyball is growing not just in Europe and the USA but in India as well. I hope this is something future generation can aspire towards."
The tournament will commence on December 6 at Koramangala Indoor Stadium in Bengaluru.
Ahmedabad Defenders will find themselves in Pool A, facing the defending champions, Sir Sicoma Perugia from Italy, and Brazil's Minas Tenis Clube (Itambe Minas).
Pool B has Halkbank Spor Kulubu from Turkey, Sada Cruzeiro Volei from Brazil, and Japan's Suntory Sunbirds.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor