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Ran Takahashi, a member of Japan’s men’s volleyball team who contributed to Monza’s deserved runner-up finish in Italy’s Serie A playoffs, has decided to join the Suntory Sunbirds, which belongs to Japan’s new Top League (SV League). Suntory announced on April 20th. Takahashi will sign a player contract from July. Suntory Sunverse is a team based in Osaka that has been active since 1973. The 2023-24 season finished the 10th time in the domestic V-League for the first time in two years. In December of last year, became the first Japanese team to take 3rd place in the World Club Championships, while Perugia won for the second consecutive time, Takahashi’s older brother Rui Takahashi (24) also plays for Suntory.
For Paris 2024, now part of the Japanese team
Takahashi returned from Italy on May 1st after the Serie A play-off final, where he played for Monza until the end of April, and is currently joining the Japan national team, which has already qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Japan national team coach Philippe Blanc has decided to let Ran Takahashi rest in Japan, along with Japan national team captain Yuki Ishikawa, who was announced to be transferring to Perugia, for the first round of the FIBV Nations League in Brazil (week 1).
They have clearly stated that they plan to have him appear in the second week of the Fukuoka/Kitakyushu round, which will be their first match against Iran on April 4th. Japan is aiming for its first medal in 52 years at Paris Olympics, the first since the 1972 Munich Games.
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