Cuba has qualified for the women’s volleyball tournament of the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, to be held in Chile next October and November, as announced this Wednesday in the JIT Publication of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education, and Recreation (INDER).
The quota was made possible by their placement in the rankings of the North, Central American, and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (Norceca) after the resignation of the United States and Canada, confirmed Ariel Sainz, vice president of INDER and head of the Cuban federation of this sport.
The team from the largest island in the Antilles is competing in the Norceca Continental Championship based in Quebec, Canada, until September 3 after winning the bronze medal at the 2023 Norceca Final Six Pan American Cup in Santo Domingo.
Jit recalls that in the opening the day before, the Cubans lost to the Dominicans in two hours of straight sets by 25-14, 25-17, and 25-16.
Statistics from the tournament’s official website reveal the Dominicans’ superiority in attack (35-24), blocking (14-8), serving (6-1), and unforced errors (14-20).
For Kuba, opponent Greisy Finé was the top scorer of the game with 10 points, nine in attack and one in blocking. For their rivals, Brayelin Martnez was the most prolific at nine (6-2-1).
The Cuban occupation will not be able to call on the services of cornerback Ailama Cesé this time, who has had to return to Havana to treat the injuries sustained.
The INDER publication states that in other results of the opening date, including Group B, the strong United States team defeated the Costa Rican team 25-3, 25-13, and 25-5, and in the A key, Canada prevailed against Canada (25-20, 25-18, and 25-20).
This Wednesday, Americans and Cubans face each other. Before that, Puerto Ricans and hostesses will do it. Dominicans and Costa Ricans will close the program.
Sainz told JIT that “the teams from the United States, Dominican Republic, and Canada are intervening with their luxury teams, the same ones that competed in the Volleyball Nations League 2023.”
Cuba and Puerto Rico are also participating with their main teams, while Mexico is going through a restructuring phase.
The head of the Cuban Volleyball Federation pointed out that “with the event, the allocation of points for qualification for the World Cup begins. The same will happen next week with the men’s event in Virginia, USA.”
