From 'Top 16' to 'Perfect 8' for Barcelona Men's Beach Volleyball

(Beijing May 29) -- According to the FIVB website, The 16 top-seeded teams advanced to the final men's qualifying round at this week's SWATCH FIVB World Tour event in Barcelona on Wednesday, with eight of them remaining perfect at the end of the day to earn Main Draw spots, according to the FIVB website.

Following the Hyundai Open Barcelona, the world's top beach volleyball players will travel to the Polish resort of Stare Jablonki next week before four straight SWATCH FIVB World Tour Grand Slam events in Berlin, Paris, Norway and Moscow.

With the Hyundai Open Barcelona being the 23rd of 29 men's qualifying events for this August's Summer Games in Beijing, each team's best-eight finishes on the SWATCH FIVB World Tour will be used as criteria in determining a tandem's Olympic ranking. European pairs can also use a finish from one of the two continental championships in either 2007 or 2008.