Tehran, Iran, July 12, 2016 – The national volleyball team of Iran are training intensively to have a full-measure performance at the Olympic Games which will start on August 6. Iran head coach Mr. Raul Lozano shared his impression with the media persons.
“We are setting a step by step goal in the Olympic Games that is we will try to sweep wins in the preliminary round at the first place. Then, we will think of the quarter-finals facing powerful teams which are probably France, Brazil, Italy, and France.”
Raul Lozano, who had made Iranian way up to Olympic Games for the first time in history after 52 years, stated.
“We have 14 training days up to Rio that is a good opportunity to take. The players rested for a few days but the training session is already defined for them. The priority goes for body building and individual techniques; then the group working will be practised in the next two weeks.”
He also elaborated on the friendly matches before the debut match in Rio, “We invited Russia to hold two friendly matches in Tehran. However, we have yet received answer.”
Asked whether his expectations were met from Iran in Olympic Qualification Games and the World League, he said: “Iran made a better record in Olympic Qualification Games than in the World League that seemed logical.”
He clarified: “This is for the first time since Iran earned the Olympic ticket which came true ranking high as the second team. But the pathway to success trembled due to special conditions and long distance between the host countries and not having complete recovery. Poland and France were also in Olympic Qualification with us and they did not perform well in the World League as well.”
He further stated: “the final composition of Iran team cannot yet be defined because we have some injuries to be decided on. Ghaemi is now much better but he got thinner and could not attend the training sessions for four weeks. Ghafour did not have ball trainings for five weeks. I must wait to see their conditions to release the final roster then.”
His prediction of the probable champion of the World League is:“I think, Brazil and USA got more advantage to take the medal because they fully prepared themselves for the World League and have a better condition.”
The training session of the national team began on Saturday, July 9 and will last three weeks in Tehran.