JAPAN CROWNED ASIAN SENIOR MEN’S CHAMPIONS IN URMIA

Urmia, Iran، August 27, 2023 – Sensational Japan had been Saturday evening topped undisputed volleyball champions of Asia.

The world quantity 5 Japanese put in a near-flawless efficiency in a shocking 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-18) shutout of hosts Iran to seize the coveted title within the twenty second Asian Senior Males’s Volleyball Championship, held within the vibrant Iranian metropolis of Urmia.

The trio of reverse spiker Yuji Nishida, skipper Yuki Ishikawa and outdoors hitter Ran Takahashi spearheaded the victors within the gold medal contest, which marked the top of a week-long celebration of the perfect within the continental sport.

Japan secured the Asian senior males’s championship for a report tenth time within the competitors’s historical past, and avenged their loss within the ultimate of the event’s earlier version in 2021, when the Iranians secured a second consecutive title.

Becoming a member of Japan and Iran on the rostrum had been bronze-medallists Qatar. The highest three got their respective accolades within the official awards presentation and shutting ceremony that adopted Saturday evening’s ultimate.

Various particular person honours had been additionally handed out, with Ishikawa and Takahashi amongst three Japanese gamers to headline the awardees. They included:

Most Invaluable Participant – Yuki Ishikawa (Japan)

Finest Exterior Hitter #1 – Ran Takahashi (Japan)

Finest Exterior Hitter #2 – Raimi Wadidie (Qatar)

Finest Center Blocker #1 – Belal Nabel Abunabot (Qatar)

Finest Center Blocker #2 – Taishi Onodera (Japan)

Finest Libero – Yang Yiming (China)

Finest Setter – Mohammad Taher Vadi (Iran)

Finest Reverse – Amin Esmaeilnezhad (Iran)

Japan’s straight-sets overcome Iran was consultant of their near-perfect marketing campaign in Urmia. Of their 5 matches performed, the volleyball “Samurai” sliced by the opposition, conceding only a single set all all through, which was within the semi-finals in opposition to the Qataris.

The 2 finalists matched one another level for level early on within the title-clincher, however the Japanese had been in a position to draw back to finish the primary set, with center blocker Akihiro Yamauchi making some key contributions.

The second set additionally began off being carefully contested, however Japan rallied for 3 unanswered factors to interrupt an 8-all impasse, and so they by no means seemed again. Ishikawa and Nishida bought into their groove and powered their crew to the commanding two-set benefit. They didn’t let up within the third set, with Takahashi becoming a member of them of their relentless assault.

Down 15-23 however boosted by their loyal supporters who packed Urmia’s Al Ghadir Corridor, the Iranians made one final stand and scored the following three factors to shut the hole. However they couldn’t get any nearer as Nishida replied with a improbable kill and Japan closed the match out with the championship level.

Nishida completed as Japan’s high scorer with 15 factors, 13 of which had been in assault, whereas contributing 14 factors, together with three blocks, was Ishikawa, who simply final month was named onto the 2023 Volleyball Nations League’s Dream Workforce. Takahashi added 10 factors, whereas Onodera chipped in with six and Yamauchi had 4.

Main Iran, who dedicated plenty of uncharacteristic errors within the ultimate, was Milad Ebadipour Ghara, who completed with eight factors, whereas fellow-outside hitter Meisam Salehi scored seven. Three others contributed 5 factors apiece within the loss, together with center blockers Seyed Mohammad Mousavi Eraghi and Mohammad Fallah Zarchoub, and reverse Saber Kazemi.

In Saturday’s sport for third place, Qatar captured their first-ever medal within the competitors following a powerful 3-0 (25-23, 25-19, 25-18) sweep of China.

Exterior hitter Youssef Oughlaf had 14 factors to tempo the bronze-medallists. Abunabot added 11, whereas outdoors hitters Ribeiro Renan and Wadidie scored 9 factors apiece.

For China, outdoors hitters Wang Bin and Deng Xinpeng had been their main scorers, ending with 17 and 13 factors, respectively.

Additionally on the final day of the event on Saturday, Pakistan secured seventh place total after defeating AVC Problem Cup silver-medallists Bahrain 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-18, 25-18) of their ultimate rating fixture.

Reverse spiker Murad Khan had 19 factors, together with 15 in assault, for the Pakistanis, who’re coached by former Bahrain tactician Issanaye Ramires Ferraz from Brazil. Exterior hitters Usman Faryad Ali and Murad Jehan contributed 17 factors apiece of their win.

Bahrain’s outdoors hitter Mohammed Yaqoob was their high scorer within the loss with 15 factors, whereas reverse spiker Mohammed Anan added 12.

Elsewhere Saturday, three-time defending Southeast Asian Video games gold medal winners Indonesia claimed ninth on the ultimate classification with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-21) victory over AVC Problem Cup winners Thailand.

Exterior hitter Fahri Septian Putratama and reverse Agil Angga Anggara completed with 13 factors apiece to tempo the Indonesians, whereas reverse Napadet Bhinijdee and outdoors hitter Anurak Phanram every had 11 for the Thais.

FINAL RANKING

1 Japan