Volleyball 

Việt Nam's LB Bank Ninh Bình will be under pressure at the FIVB Women’s Club World Championship 2024 in Hangzhou, China. Photo thethaovietnamplus. vn

HÀ NỘI — Việtnamese representative LB Bank Ninh Bình are in a difficult group at the FIVB Women’s Club World Championship 2024, after a draw conducted on October 29 in Hangzhou, China.

The Vietnamese club, which qualified for the tournament as the 2024 Asian runners-up, will face CEV Champions League champion Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano of Italy, CSV Club Championship's runner-up Dentil Praia Clube of Brazil and AVC Club Championship winners NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki of Japan in Pool B.

Among the competitors, Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano are considered the strongest team, having twice won the title in 2019 and 2022. As one of the Italian top teams, they have won the European championship twice and have world stars in the line up, including setter Joanna Wolosz, middle-blockers Marina Lubian and Sarah Fahr and libero Monica De Gennaro.

Dentil Praia Clube won the South American championship gold twice and also took the national titles twice, having just claimed the National Cup.

NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki are not considered as big a challenge, however they dominated Asian competition, beating LP Bank Ninh Bình to take the victory trophy.

In Pool A, Italian Numia Vero Volley Milano, Brazilian Gerdau Minas, Egyptian Zamalek Sporting Club and Tianjin Bohai Bank Women's Volleyball Club of the hosts will play each other.

Matches will be held from December 17-22 at the Huanglong Sports Centre, an 8,000-capacity venue that is set to provide an electric atmosphere. 

The current champions are Turkey's Eczacıbası Dynavit Istanbul, who defeated arch rivals Vakıfbank Spor Kulubu 3-2 in the final in 2023. Turkish teams have been the most successful over the history of the championship, winning eight titles in total, however this year no team from Turkey made it through the qualification rounds. VNS