The 2015 FIVB U18 Girls' World Championship drawing of lots ceremony was held on Thursday in Lima, Peru
Lima, Peru, June 11, 2015 – The drawing of lots ceremony for the 2015 FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U18 World Championship to be played in Lima, Peru from August 7 to 16 took place on Thursday with the 20 qualified countries distributed into four pools.
The ceremony held at Los Delfines Hotel in Lima was conducted by FIVB delegate Marcelo Wagner in the presence of Cristobal Marte Hoffiz, FIVB First Executive Vice-President and NORCECA Confederation President, Rafael Lloreda Currea, the South American Confederation President, and Luis Linares Pablo, president of the Peruvian Volleyball Federation.
Reigning U18 world champions and No. 1 world-ranked China will compete in Pool B against Serbia, Thailand, Germany and Poland, while runners-up USA and currently second in the rankings will play in Pool C also featuring NORCECA champions Dominican Republic, European champions Russia, Argentina and Belgium.
South American champions Brazil, currently in third place of the world rankings, lead Pool D consisting also of Japan, Turkey, Italy and Cuba. Hosts Peru will play in Pool A along with African champions Egypt, Mexico, Korea and Chinese Taipei.
Speaking on behalf of FIVB President, Dr. Ary Graça Filho, Marte Hoffiz praised the efforts made by the Peruvian Volleyball Federation to organize international events in its country and remarked on the fact that Latin America will host four age-group world championships in the upcoming months.
Besides the U18 Girls’ in Peru, the U19 Boys’ will take place in Argentina from August 14 to 23, while the U20 Women’s will be played in Puerto Rico from September 10 to 19 and the U21 Men’s in Tijuana, Mexico from September 11 to 20.
“This unprecedented fact in the history of volleyball in the Americas speaks loud about the progress experienced by our national federations and NORCECA and CSV as organizers of major international volleyball events,” Marte Hoffiz said.
“We are very proud of having a Latin American like our good friend Dr. Ary Graça as leader of the FIVB,” Marte Hoffiz added. “I am really satisfied of the fact that Latin American countries are supporting his efforts to develop volleyball worldwide.”
Additionally, Linares expressed his satisfaction for the opportunity presented by FIVB to host the age-group World Championship saying that, “we accept the challenge of organizing this festival of volleyball because our athletes, our sponsors and above all, the Peruvian fans deserve to be part of it,” Linares said.
Peru last organized an FIVB event in 1982 when Lima hosted the Women’s World Championship won by China.