While Russia totally dominated the scene in Tokyo losing only one set in seven matches and by finishing its campaign with a speedy 3:0 to power past Chinese Taipei, Serbia needed to win its last game against the hosts and 2010 world bronze medalists of Japan to make it to London 2012.
As the tournament in Tokyo was combined with the Asian qualifier for the Olympics, apart from Russia and Serbia, Korea and Japan also booked their ticket to London 2012. However, it was not that easy for Japan as the side around team captain Erika Araki lost 1:3 the Asian derby to Korea and eventually fulfilled its dream of Olympic glory only by taking two sets from Serbia on Sunday to win the tie-breaker with Thailand on a better set ratio.
Even though Serbia went through some ups and downs in the tournament, losing to Thailand – the real sensation there in Tokyo – in straight sets, still the players mentored by Zoran Terzic could finally celebrate the fulfillment of their quest. “I congratulate my team because we qualified for the Olympics,” Terzic stated. “I appreciate everything they did, especially in the final set of the match with Japan”.
Apart from the four teams qualified from the event that just came to a close in Tokyo (Russia, Korea, Serbia and Japan), hosts Great Britain and the above mentioned Italy and Turkey, the Olympic tournament in London will be joined also by the United States and China (second and third ranked from the World Cup played in Japan this past November) as well as by the winners of the remaining continental qualifying tournaments (Dominican Republic, Brazil and Algeria). cev.lu
