China meets South Korea in world volleyball GP

JAKARTA (JP): Asian powerhouses China and South Korea will play their first match at Istora Senayan this evening, the inaugural match of the second leg of this year's US$2 million Women's World Volleyball Grand Prix.

The second match, pitting world champion Cuba against Russia, is scheduled two hours later. The fixtures were made according to the recent ranking list, Sutardiono, who heads the organizing committee, announced yesterday.

"It's going to be a very strong competition," Cuba's head coach Eugenio George said of the three-day tournament.

Though Cuba is favored to win, George said that anything could happen. In the last Olympic Games in Barcelona, Cuba came first, Russia second, the United States third, Brazil fourth and China seventh. But in last year's Grand Prix Cuba came second behind Brazil.

However, George believes that the Grand Prix provides far tougher competition than the Olympic Games. "The Grand Prix is held every year, Olympic Games every four years. So the level of competition is higher because you're supposed to be well prepared around the year for that event," he said.

This was also confirmed by Tatsuro Uzuki, president of the World Volleyball Grand Prix. "The eight top teams at the Grand Prix are also the best eight at the world volleyball championships. This shows that the Grand Prix's level of competition is by no means lower than the world championships," Uzuki said.

Like George, other head coaches dared not make preclusive statements yesterday. Russian head coach Nikolai Karpov said Cuba, Brazil, China and South Korea might dominate the Grand Prix's final round. But he said "I don't know" when asked about the chances of his team.

South Korean head coach Kim Cheol-yong said his team would do the best it could to win. China's head coach Lang Ping reiterated "we just try to play our best" while stressing that her team consists of many young players.

The other second leg, starting in Taipei also today, will feature the other four of the world's best eight: Brazil, winner of last year's Grand Prix, the United States, Germany and Japan (arf).

Today's fixtures 7 p.m. China vs South Korea 9 p.m. Cuba vs Rusia

Results of the Grand Prix's first leg from Aug. 18 to Aug. 20:

in Honolulu, Hawaii Cub bt Chn 3-1 Cub bt Jpn 3-0 Cub bt USA 3-2 Chn bt Jpn 3-1 USA bt Chn 3-2 USA bt Jpn 3-1

in Belo Horizonte, Brazil Kor bt Rus 3-1 Kor bt Ger 3-0 Bra bt Kor 3-0 Rus bt Bra 3-2 Rus bt Ger 3-0 Bra bt Ger 3-0