Rotterdam, Netherlands, 20 July, 2018 – The World ParaVolley Sitting Volleyball Women’s World Championship will have a new name on its trophy after USA and Russia qualified for the final after beating Italy and China in their respective semifinals at Luxor Theatre on Friday.
Paralympic champions USA have lost the last two finals to China while Russia, the European champions, have qualified for the showpiece event – and in doing so confirmed a spot at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games – for the first time.
| WOMEN – Rotterdam – Semifinals & Classification |
| Fri Jul 20 |
18:00 | Ukraine v Netherlands | cl 5-8: 3-1 (25-17, 18-25, 25-23, 25-23) |
| Fri Jul 20 | 12:00 | Egypt v Croatia | pl 15-16: 3-1 (25-16, 23-25, 25-18, 25-23) |
| Fri Jul 20 | 11:00 | Brazil v Canada | cl 5-8: 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-15) |
| Fri Jul 20 | 14:00 | Slovenia v Hungary | pl 13-14: 3-0 (25-9, 25-14, 25-13) |
| Fri Jul 20 | 13:00 | Russia v China | Semifinal: 3-0 (25-23, 25-19, 25-19) |
| Fri Jul 20 | 16:00 | Rwanda v Finland | pl 11-12: 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-23) |
| Fri Jul 20 | 15:00 | Italy v USA | Semifinal: 3-0 (25-8, 25-11, 25-6) |
| Fri Jul 20 | 19:00 | Iran v Japan | pl 9-10 |
|
WOMEN – Rotterdam – Finals |
| Sat Jul 21 |
11:00 | Canada v Netherlands | (pl 7-8) |
| Sat Jul 21 | 13:00 | Ukraine v Brazil | (pl 5-6) |
| Sat Jul 21 | 15:00 | China v Italy | Bronze Medal Match |
| Sat Jul 21 | 18:00 | Russia v USA | Gold Medal Match |
Women’s Final Ranking
1 –
2 –
3 –
4 –
5 –
6 –
7 –
8 –
9 – Iran
10 – Japan
11 – Rwanda
12 – Finland
13 – Slovenia
14 – Hungary
15 – Egypt
16 – Croatia
USA’s World Championship record stands at two silver medals (2010 and 2014) and a fifth place finish (2006) while Russia have a fourth (1994), seventh (2010) and a bronze medal (2014) in their three previous appearances. USA won their pool game against Russia in straight sets 3-0 (25-14, 25-16, 25-23).
A win for USA will see them hold both the Paralympic and World Championship titles at the same time.
With their impressive straight sets semifinal win, Russia, who didn’t compete at Rio 2016, reversed their five set loss to world No. 2 China four years ago in the semifinals as well as their five set loss to China in the final of the World Super 6 event earlier this year.
Classification
Meanwhile, in the classification matches, the 2014 World Championship playoff for fifth will be repeated in Rotterdam after the Ukraine beat the Netherlands to confirm a date on Saturday with Brazil, who had beaten Canada earlier on Friday.
Brazil still have a chance to record their best finish at a Sitting Volleyball Women’s World Championship after beating Canada to advance to the playoff for positions 5-6. Brazil’s previous best result was sixth in 2014. Canada have already guaranteed to finish above their only previous result, which was 12th in 2010.
Positions nine to 16 have already been determined. Iran beat Japan in the last match of the day to finish ninth, one place of their previous best results of eighth in 2000 and 2002.
Rwanda clinched an impressive 11th place finish on their World Championship debut after beating Finland, who finished eighth in 2014, in straight sets while Slovenia beat debutants Hungary to claim 13th place in the tournament, which is a change after finishing 7th, 5th, 3rd, 2nd and 3rd in their previous Sitting Volleyball World Championships appearances.
And in the first match of the day, Egypt won the contest between two debutants and were too good for Croatia in the contest for 15 & 16th place.
Meanwhile, the men’s tournament resumes on Saturday in The Hague with semifinals and classification matches before the finals take place on Sunday.
| MEN – The Hague |
| Sat Jul 21 | 11:00 | Rwanda v Japan | pl 15-16 |
| Sat Jul 21 | 12:00 | China v Egypt | cl 5-8 (Match No 37) |
| Sat Jul 21 | 13:00 | Croatia v Iraq | pl 13-14 |
| Sat Jul 21 | 14:00 | USA v Russia | cl 5-8 (Match No 38) |
| Sat Jul 21 | 15:00 | Netherlands v Poland | pl 11-12 |
| Sat Jul 21 | 16:00 | Ukraine v Iran | Semifinal (Match No 39) |
| Sat Jul 21 | 18:00 | Kazakhstan v Germany | pl 9-10 |
| Sat Jul 21 | 19:00 | Brazil v Bosnia & Herzegovina | Semifinal (Match No 40) |
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SUNDAY JULY 22nd |
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| MEN – The Hague | |||
| Sun July 22 | 12:00 | L37 v L38 | pl 7-8 |
| Sun July 22 | 13:30 | W37 v W38 | pl 5-8 |
| Sun July 22 | 15:00 | L39 v L40 | Bronze Medal Match |
| Sun July 22 | 16:30 | W39 v W40 | Gold Medal Match |
Quick Links
- Tournament Website
- Live Streaming and Videos
- News
- Day Five – Semifinalists confirmed at Sitting Volleyball World Championships
- Day Four – Men’s favourites advance through to quarterfinals
- Day Three – Italy surprise as women’s quarterfinals confirmed
- Day Two – First quarterfinalists confirmed
- Day One – China and Bosnia & Herzegovina collect wins
- Hosts seek return to glory days
- Brazil seek Tokyo 2020 place
- Hesham Elshwikh aims to upset
- Ones to Watch
- Tokyo 2020 tickets on the line as Sitting Volleyball World Championships set to go
- Sitting Volleyball World Championships return home
- 2018 Sitting Volleyball World Championships Schedule – Update
- Sitting Volleyball World Championship 2018 pools and schedule confirmed
- Teams announced for 2018 Sitting Volleyball World Championships
- Photos
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- Qualification Process
- World ParaVolley Sitting Volleyball World Championships history