Pan Am Men’s volleyball tournament begins on Monday

GUADALAJARA, Mexico, October 22, 2011 - Teams of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Puerto Rico, United States, Venezuela and hosts Mexico will compete in the men’s volleyball tournament of the XVI Pan American Games to be held in Guadalajara, Mexico on October 23-29.

World champions Brazil, Olympic champions United States and world vice-champions Cuba, are the top men’s teams of the Americas, who finished in that same order during the previous edition of the quadrennial multi-sport games held in Rio de Janeiro in 2007.

Pool A consists of Argentina, Cuba, Venezuela and hosts Mexico while Pool B is composed by Brazil, Canada, Puerto Rico and United States.

The top team in each group gets a bye to the semifinals while the second and third place teams cross over for the quarterfinals. The medal matches are next Saturday 29.

Volleyball was included in the games-program beginning with the second edition of the Games in 1955 and since then, Cuba has taken the most gold medals with a total of five, followed by USA and Brazil with four and three respectively. Argentina and Venezuela each have won once.

Preliminary Round Schedule

Pool A

Monday 24: Cuba v Argentina, Venezuela v Mexico

Tuesday 25: Cuba v Venezuela, Argentina v Mexico

Wednesday 26: Argentina v Venezuela, Cuba v Mexico

Pool B

Monday 24: United States v Puerto Rico, Brazil v Canada

Tuesday 25: Brazil v Puerto Rico, United States v Canada

Wednesday 26: Puerto Rico v Canada, Brazil v United States

Year by Year Podiums

Year  Gold     Silver    Bronze

1955  USA      MEX      BRA

1959  USA      BRA      MEX

1963  BRA      USA      ARG

1967  USA      BRA      CUB

1971  CUB      USA      BRA

1975  CUB      BRA      MEX

1979  CUB      BRA      CAN

1983  BRA      CUB      ARG

1987  USA      CUB      BRA

1991  CUB      BRA      ARG

1995  ARG      USA      CUB

1999  CUB      BRA      CAN

2003  VEN      CUB      BRA

2007  BRA      USA      CUB