Alas Pilipinas to face formidable Egypt in FIVB Men's World Championship

August 30 ------ EGYPT runs third in the order of battle for Alas Pilipinas in Pool A action of the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship the country is hosting next month. After tackling Tunisia on opening day Sept. 12 at 6 p.m., Alas Pilipinas gets the luxury of a two-day rest before battling the Egyptians at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 16 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria — bracketed with defending champion Italy in Pool F — are three representatives from the Africa Volleyball Confederation zone. So, are the Egyptians formidable foes? They are the reigning African champions — they were the continent’s sole representative to the Paris 2024 Olympics — who will be led by 6-foot-6-star setter Abdallah Abdalsalam Ahmed Bakhit, 6-foot-3 outside hitter Mohamed Asran and 6-foot-8 middle blocker Abdelrahman Seoudy.

The trio led the Pharaohs in regaining the Africa crown — their ninth — to earn a ticket to the worlds. Egypt has just got better after qualifying for and clinching bronze in the 2024 FIVB Volleyball Challenger Cup. Egypt opens its campaign against Iran on Sept. 14 in the worlds.

Opposite hitter Reda Haikal and outside hitter Ahmed Azab were also instruments in the Challenger for Egypt which eyes a breakthrough in the worlds organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation headed by President Ramon “Tats” Suzara, who is also the president of the Asian Volleyball Confederation. Egypt finished 19th in the 2022 worlds co-hosted by Poland and Slovenia and 12th in the Paris Olympics. Egypt is coached by 61-year-old Italian Marco Bonitta, who boasts multiple international titles highlighted by a gold medal for Italy in the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in Germany.

Source: manilatimes.net