JAPAN'S national team is looking at the Manila leg of the 2024 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) as one of its final preparations for the Paris Olympics wnere it has qualified as Asia's top contender in the sport's most important competition.
This will be Japan's third straight VNL trip to the country and fan-favorite team captain Yuki Ishikawa couldn’t be more thrilled to again experience the warm reception from Filipino volleyball fans who apparently have adopted the team as its own in the week-long tournament.
Although the country has been hosting the event for the third time, it is also the third time that it is not part of the competition as the quality of the country's men's volleyball squad has not reached the lofty standard of the VNL.
With no local team to cheer for and because Japan is from Asia, it is the closest to what Filipino fans will have as its home team.
It is also to be noted that the Philippines is the only VNL host which does not have any representation in the league since it began hosting this tournament. The situation is really unique in the sense that usually, competing teams each host a leg of the VNL.
Such is the case with teams currently here. Brazil, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, France, United States and Japan have hosted VNL events in the past.
For those who wish to watch the tournament, which will be held June 18-23, ticket prices range from P8,000 courtside to P500 for general admission. Other seats will cost P5,000 (Patron Premium), P3,000 (Patron Regular), P2,500 (Lower Box) and P1,000 (Upper Box). All matches will be hald at the Mall of Asia Arena.
READ: PNVF announces ticket prices, match schedules for VNL Manila leg
“We are so happy to be here again. We played for the last two years and we are doing well. This week is very important for us because after our pool matches, we have the (VNL) finals and the Olympic Games. Our goal is we’ll take good lessons (from this event) to the Olympic Games,” Ishikawa said.
“We are so excited to play here in front of Filipino fans. We will do our best to really show our best volleyball. I can’t wait to play in front of Filipino fans.”
All eyes on Paris
Unlike the past two years, Japan will use the last leg of VNL pool play to not only prepare for the finals week but to fine-tune its strategy for the Olympics in late July. During the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan placed seventh with France taking the gold, Russia the silver and Argentina the bronze medal.
After a poor showing as host of the Olympics, Japan is bent on improving its finish and the Manila VNL leg will serve as an important training ground for Paris.
“Our goal is we’ll take good lessons to the Olympic Games. We’ll do well this weekend,” the Ryujin Nippon captain said.
Japan’s outside-hitter star duo - Ishikawa and Ran Takahashi - sat out the VNL’s opening week to manage their game time with the Olympics still to come.
Although primed to secure one of eight VNL quarterfinal places, Ishikawa wants Japan to savor the experience of playing as many ‘big games’ as possible before heading to Paris.
“Now we are preparing well, everybody’s here. I had some lapses in the first week and in the second and third weeks, I came back and joined (the team). We have to think always (about the) big games and we have to play well.”
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