Men’s Volleyball Pan Am Games coaches are ready for Lima 2019

LIMA, Peru, July 30, 2019. - The coaches of the Men’s Volleyball tournament at the eighteenth edition of the Pan American Games Lima 2019 are ready for the actions to kick off on Wednesday at the Multisport Complex El Callao.

Defending champion Argentina, Cuba, Puerto Rico and host Peru in pool A, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and United States in pool B gave their first impressions on the eve of the event. The top two ranked from each pool will advance to play medal round semifinals.

Horacio Dileo, Head coach of Argentina: “We are bringing a young squad, with a lot of desires of performing well and win a medal. We are satisfied with our previous preparation; still we would have wanted more time but with the FIVB tight schedule we had to adjust our time and efforts to come here in our best conditions”.

Marcelo Fronckowiak, Head coach of Brazil: “This is Brazil second team because our first team is scheduled to compete in the Olympic qualifier in a few days. I am happy to be here in Peru, a country with a long volleyball tradition. Being at the Pan American Games is a great deal for our young players who I am sure will shortly be part of our first team; this is the best moment to observe them at an international level because of Brazil´s long trajectory, we always perform with great pressure in these tournaments. The team is prepared and optimistic, we need to be focused, it will be a short and intense competition and we must perform with pressure thinking of the future of Brazil’s volleyball”.

Daniel Nejamkin, Head coach of Chile: “Chile is motivated to play well, to improve our game level and finish in the best possible position. The team is well prepared, with a good number of preparation matches. Clearly this is high-leveled competition and we share the pool with the best ranked teams in the world (United States, Brazil, and Mexico) and qualifying to semifinals will be really hard”.

Nicolás Vives, Head coach of Cuba: “The team has been improving as we’ve been competing since the beginning of the year and we just finished a preparation tournament in Tunisia.  We are in good conditions, this year’s results have been very good, and therefore our main goal is to play for a medal”.

Jorge Azair, Head coach of Mexico: “My team comes with the motivation of winning a medal. We have worked really hard in our preparation after competing at the Pan American Cup. My guys have grown in their game and I consider that they are at very good moment as a team”.

Juan Gala, Head coach of Peru: “My team is motivated, they are fighters and they will fight for every point against each of their opponents, they are physically and mentally prepared. This is their first time competing at this type of tournament in front of the home crowd and I hope for good reaction. Our pool has strong and highly-competitive teams, but there are confident of their performance”.

Oswald Antonetti, Head coach of Puerto Rico: “This is a new challenge for a new group of players in the middle of the Olympic cycle. We are taking a brief recess from our superior league that nurtures our player’s game level; we are coming with positive attitude, each stage of our schedule one at a time beginning with the Pan American Games and then we will be traveling from here to the Olympic qualifier”.

Milan Zarkovic, Head coach of United States: “After the Pan American Cup in Colima, we changed a few players; we kept on training together to reach this event at a competitive level as well as the rest of our senior players and continue USA’s success at international level. Every competition is a challenge and we are ready to play at a higher level”.