Puerto Rico and Cuba took the last two spots available at the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in Italy and Bulgaria as drama unfolded on the last competition day of the last qualification tournament that took place from Friday through Sunday in Pinar del Rio.
With a 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-22) win against Guatemala in Sunday’s first match, Mexico stayed within reach of the top two positions in the standings. However, hosts Cuba took what they needed, a 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 30-28) victory over Puerto Rico, as both teams surpassed Mexico on point ratio in a three-way tie. As all three teams finished with a 2-1 win-loss record and a 6-3 set record, Puerto Rico’s point ratio of 1.157 and Cuba’s 1.124 placed them ahead of Mexico (on 1.052) in the final standings and qualified to 2018 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship.
The others teams going to the 2018 World Championship inclued host teams Bulgaria and Italy, Poland as defending champion; France, Netherlands, Slovenia, Russia, Serbia, Finland and Belgium from Europe; Brazil and Argentina from South America; Japan, Australia, Iran and China from Asia and Tunisia, Egypt and Cameroon from Africa.
Individual awards:
MVP: Ángel Pérez (Puerto Rico)
Best setter: Pedro Rangel (Mexico)
Best blockers: Jonathan Martinez (Puerto Rico) and Román Mannix (Puerto Rico)
Best opposite: Miguel David Gutiérrez (Cuba)
Best attackers: Miguel Ángel López (Cuba) and Ezequiel Cruz (Puerto Rico)
Top scorer: Daniel Vargas (Mexico)
Best servers: Pedro Rangel (Mexico)
Best libero: Jesus Rangel (Mexico)
Best digger: Josué Rivera (Puerto Rico)
Best receiver: Jesus Rangel (Mexico)
