Athens 2004 : Volleyball gold medal match between Russia and China. Elena Tyurina (#2) goes up against Hao Yang (#3). (Photo credit : Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

    Female volleyball players from Kazakhstan, Poland, Serbia and Japan have just booked their ticket for the Olympic Games at the Asian continental tournament and international Olympic qualification tournament organised in Tokyo (Japan) from 17 to 25 May. The 12 teams qualified for the women's Olympic tournament are now known. Besides these three recently qualified sides, the following teams will be making their way to Beijing next August: Algeria, Brazil, China, Cuba, the USA, Italy, the Russian Federation and Venezuela.

    Only three places left for the men's tournament

    Who will be the last three men's teams to joint their Chinese, Brazilian, Russian, Bulgarian, Egyptian, Serbian, American, Venezuelan and German counterparts in Beijing? The answer will soon be revealed at the international Olympic qualification tournament in Espinho (Portugal, 30 May to 1 June) and the Asian continental tournament and international Olympic qualification tournament in Tokyo from 31 May to 8 June.

    Tournaments from 9 to 24 August

    The Olympic volleyball tournaments will be staged from 9 to 24 August 2008 at the Beijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium and at the Capital Indoor Stadium, which will host the finals.