By MARK REY MONTEJO
Alas Pilipinas must intensify its preparation after being bracketed in formidable Pool B of women’s volleyball event of the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games in Japan this September.
In teams draw ceremony Thursday, July 23, the Nationals are up for a daunting task after landing alongside nine-time winner and reigning titlist China and the gritty Kazakhstan, which once won bronze in the 2010 Guangzhou edition.
2023 Hangzhou silver medalist Japan banners Pool A together with Indonesia and Nepal; Pool C features Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia, while Pool D has Vietnam, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Qatar.
The Jia De Guzman-skippered crew will be under new coach Taka Minowa with a bevy of talents, including Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, and Angel Canino – all part of Alas Women’s historic silver win in the AVC Women’s Nations Cup last year.
Meanwhile, Alas Men are bracketed in Pool D alongside South Korea, last edition’s bridesmaid China, and Chinese Taipei, while reigning three-time champ Iran spearheads Pool B with Indonesia, Thailand, and Kyrgyzstan.
Pool A is composed of Japan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, while Pool C fields Qatar, India, Vietnam, and Hong Kong.
Marck Espejo and Bryan Baguna are anticipated to lead the charge of Alas Men with foreign mentor Angiolino Frigoni at the helm.
Alas Men (No. 15) and Women (No. 10), which returns to the meet after its last appearance in 2018, qualified in the quadrennial meet after successfully making the the cut of FIVB continental rankings.
