Brazil go for South American gold in Colombia

The Tokyo silver medallists are back on the court with most of their stars

Published 08:05, 14 Sept 2021

After winning silver medals at both the Tokyo Olympics and the FIVB Volleyball Nations League, Brazil will try to end the 2021 international season at the top of a podium as the team take on four other participants at the Women’s South American Championship this week.

This year’s edition of the continental tournament, the 34th in its history, will be held in Barracabermeja, Colombia, from September 15-19. The two best placed countries will qualify for the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in the Netherlands and Poland.

Currently second in the FIVB World Rankings, Brazil have a history of winning in the tournament, with a record 21 titles, including the last 13 consecutively. Head Coach Jose Roberto Guimaraes took most of his Tokyo team to Barracabermeja, calling up many of the 12 players who competed in Tokyo last month. Exceptions include outside Fe Garay and libero Camila Brait, who both retired from the national team.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Conf. Bras. de Voleibol 🏐 (@cbvolei)

“This is a very important tournament for us as it qualifies for next year’s World Championship,” setter Roberta Ratzke said. “We reached our peak this season at the Olympics but are still very focused and determined. We’re excited and have a positive mindset. The South American national teams have been improving and the tournament gets harder every year, but we want to win it again.”

Besides Brazil, the four other teams set to compete in Barracabermeja are hosts Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Peru. Of those four, the Argentineans were the only team to compete in Tokyo last month and head coach Hernan Ferraro has picked six players from his Olympic roster to compete in the continental tournament. They are setters Victoria Mayer and Sabrina Germanier, opposite Erika Mercado, outside hitter Daniela Bulaich, middle blocker Bianca Farriol and libero Tatiana Rizzo.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Voleibol Argentino (@voley_feva)

Peru are the only team on the continent besides Brazil to have won the South American Championship. The Peruvians topped the podium on 12 occasions, with the most recent victory claimed in 1993.

The tournament will be played over the course of five days, in a single round robin system. Each team will face each of its four opponents once and the two occupying the top spots at the end will qualify for the 2022 World Championship.