Germany gears up to host Men’s World Olympic qualifier

7 June 2012

Berlin, Germany, June 5, 2012 - Berlin is all set for the FIVB Men’s World Olympic Qualification Tournament which begins at Max-Schmeling Hall in Germany on Friday.

Four men's teams will battle it out for a place to the London 2012 Olympic Games from June 8 to 10.

Hosts Germany, India, Czech Republic and Cuba will compete in the round robin tournament aiming at getting last chance to earn the Olympic dreams.

One day before the arrival of the teams on Wednesday, hosts Germany were in an intense build up to the qualifications in Kienbaum as coach Vital Heynen named his squad, including setter Simon Tischer who plays for Wegiel in Poland after he missed the first weekend of the World League in Frankfurt due to finger injury.

Germany starts the competition against India on Friday before they battle against Cuba in what is being touted as the early final of the competition on Saturday. They conclude their campaign against Czech Republic on Sunday.

The hosts finished the first weekend of Intercontinental round of the World League on top of Pool D with two wins over Portugal and Argentina and one defeat against Bulgaria where the coach Heynen played with three different formations to make most of the formation ready for the Olympic qualifier.

The selected squad includes Mark Boehme (Friedrichshafen), Sebastian Schwarz(Parugia / ITA), Markus Steuerwald (Paris / FRA), Marcus Popp (Tours / FRA), Bjorn Andrae (Kemerovo / Russia), Simon Tischer (Wegiel / POL), Jochen Schöps (Rzeszow / POL) Christian Dunnes (Generali Haching), Denis Kaliberda (Valentia / ITA), Max Günthör (currently without a club), Georg Grozer, Lukas Kampa (Belgorod / Russia), Robert Kromm (Berlin Recycling volleys).

 Max- Schmeling Hall becomes ready to host the three days event after it hosted before two prestigious events; the finals of the 2002 Women’s World Championship and the 2003 Men’s European Nations Championship.