World Championships

Azadi Stadium - Tehran, I. R. Iran 1998

The World Championships was the first international tournament that the Australian Team entered.

Valuable experience was gained with the whole team, including staff, learning a great deal.

Weiping Tu, Australia's Coach, won the prestigous Best Coach Award for the tournament.

Full results are at the end of this page.

ANZAC Day was commemorated while we were there, and even though in a foreign country, the squad attended a ceremony at the British Cemetery in Tehran.

 

Darren Gay sneaks a spike between the Slovenian blockers

        The Inaugural Australian Sitting        

    Volleyball Team

Back: Kevin Price, Albert Lee, Glenn Pyne, Derek Wilkinson, 

Mark Whiteman,Weiping Tu (Coach), Glenn Stewart (Manager/Assistant Coach)
Middle: Dallas Grant, Tyron Low (Physio), Paul Croft (Captain)
Front: Brett Roworth, Darren Gay, Ted Bray

 

Signing autographs outside Azadi Stadium

After the Opening Ceremony hundreds of children flocked to get autographs from the players.

Being at the same stadium just two weeks after the Socceroos' famous 2 all draw against Iran saw the crowd eager for more Australian contact.

 

ANZAC CEREMONY

 

The team attended an Anzac Day Ceremony conducted

 at the British Cemetery in Tehran.

A breakfast is hosted by the New Zealand and Australian Embassies alternately, this year being New Zealand's turn.

After this we returned to the Stadium to watch the Final.

 

 

Mark Whiteman makes a miraculous save

Glenn Pyne gets one past the Slovenians

 

Results

 

Netherlands vs Australia 3 - 0 15-0 / 15-0 / 15-1
Australia vs Iraq 0 - 3 2-15 / 0-15 / 1-15
Kazakhstan vs Australia 3 - 0 15-6 / 15-0 / 15-5
Bosnia I Herzegovina vs Australia 3 - 0 15-6 / 15-9 / 15-0
Norway vs Australia 3 - 0 15-1 / 15-0 / 15-1
Slovinia vs Australia 3 - 0 15-4 / 15-0 / 15-1
Australia vs Japan (11/12 place) 0 - 3 6-15 / 12-15 / 0-15

Final Ranking

1 I.R.Iran
2 Finland
3 Bosnia I Herzegovinia
4 Netherlands
5 Germany
6 Norway
7 Egypt
8 Kazakhstan
9 Iraq
10 Slovenia
11 Japan
12 Australia

 

Most Outstanding Players

 

Best Server Henk Aalders NED
Best Receiver Gerard Kroon NED
Best Setter Matti Pulli FIN
Best Spiker Jurgen Schrapp GER
Best Blocker Ali Golkar IRN
Best Digger Asim Medic BIH
Most Complete Player Davorin Kragelnik SLO
Best Coach Weiping Tu AUS

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