Angela Leyva (facing) celebrates winning a point with her teammates
Lausanne, Switzerland, May 3, 2016 – Peru's Angela Leyva will be one of the players to look out for when FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix Group 3 unwraps in June. The best scorer for Peru in 2015, Leyva will again aim to gain promotion for her team in this year's edition.
Young players highlight the cast of stars in Group 3, which also features Cuban phenomenon Melissa Teresa Vargas Abreu. Vargas led Cuba’s offence in 2015, but the young star was sidelined because of a shoulder injury during the World Cup in Japan. Her return will likely turn the Group 3 competition into a scoring showdown With Peru's leading points winner Leyva.
Quick links:-
FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix-
FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix - TeamsThe top-level teams in Group 1 and the emerging squads in Group 2 set the tone for the tournament. Group 3 provides a stage for developing teams by plunging them into a highly competitive environment.
The preliminary round will provide two-time World Grand Prix winners Cuba, Algeria, Australia, Colombia, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Mexico and Peru with an opportunity to qualify for the Group 3 Final Four, where the winners will earn promotion to Group 2 in the next edition of the World Grand Prix.
Following the Group 2 model, Group 3 will also be played out in two weeks from June 3 to 12, with Algiers, Algeria and Bendigo, Australia getting on board as hosts in the first week, followed by Cali, Colombia and Chiclayo, Peru hosting the second week of preliminary round action.
Algeria are still in transition after a huge revamp of their lineup. Their star Lydia Oulmou is still in the roster but she will pass on the baton to young captain Safia Boukhima to lead the future Algerian squad.
Looking back at Colombia’s impressive performance last year, Amanda Coneo and Cindy Maria Ramirez are expected to be in their finest form in this year’s competition.
Mexico will count on Andrea Rangel, who is considered one of the country’s best players, while Australia will bank on Sophie Godfrey’s scoring support in their third appearance in the World Grand Prix.
Meanwhile, Croatia are looking to break new ground with their new coach Miroslav Aksintijevic. Croatia will count on the leadership of seasoned player Mia Jerkov.
Kazakhstan are in the same situation as Croatia, with Vyacheslav Shapran at the helm of the Asian side. They will rely on the support of their top scorer Sana Anarkulova as they head towards the Final Four which Kazakhstan will host from June 18 to 19 in Almaty.