Men’s volleyball team of Cuba culminates preparation tour in Canada. The Cuban team, which ranked fourth this year in the World League, was led by their coach Orlando Samuels, along with coaches Nicolas Vives and Idalberto Valdes. Along with the coaching staff traveled to Canada Roberlandy Simon, team captain, setters Yoandry Diaz, Lian Sem Estrada, Leandro Macias and attackers Osmany Camejo, Isbel Mesa, Yoandry Leal, Rolando Cepeda, Henry Bell, Fernando Hernandez and Rafael Ortiz, with Gustavo Leyva as libero. It is important to emphasize that they did not count in their ranks in this important phase with another of its leading figures, Wilfredo Leon, undisputed leader of the team that attended the I Youth Olympics in Singapore. The other two absent among those chosen for this occasion, was Keibel Gutierrez and Raydel Hierrezuelo, who have been part of the regular team in recent international commitments. The program on Canadian soil allowed Samuel’s pupils to do four friendly matches with the national team of Canada, as well as several training sessions. The matches took place in the cities of Toronto (August 24), Ottawa (August 26), Gatineau (August 27) and Quebec (August 28). The Cuban team's only defeat happened in the Canadian capital, Ottawa, even though they were supported by Cuban residents and several officials of the Embassy of Cuba in Canada. At the end of that game, coach Orlando Samuels said the team was exhausted after a long road trip from Toronto and a weight lifting session. Just as he dialogued with the Cuban diplomats, Captain Simon said to Samuels that one of those attending the game wanted to show a national team shirt that Samuels had gave him in 1967. The Cuban coach was pleasantly surprised to see his own shirt jealously guarded for more than four decades by the fan. Several Canadian media reflected the Cuban team's tour highlighting that this selection is in eighth place in the world rankings while the Canadians occupy the twentieth. The final result was three victories for Cuba and one for Canada. The Cubans returned to Havana and then they will be travelling on September 7 to Serbia, the seat of a tournament from the 8th to 16th, afterwards they will travel to Poland, scene of two games, and arrive in Italy on the 20th for the World Championship. (Cubaminrex - Embacuba Canadá)
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