“It was a big final for us. We wanted to end the EP with a win for the first time. At times we were nervous, but with that desire to win and with the courage we have in our blood, we won the bronze medal,” he was after the victory over France excited Klemen Čebulj.
For the first time, the Slovenian volleyball players finished the European Championship with a victory and won third place. After a 3:2 victory over the current Olympic champions, the Slovenians leave Rome extremely satisfied.
“I am happier than with three silver medals,” is the theory that athletes in team sports are often more satisfied after finishing third than after finishing second, for Wave 202 confirmed Klemen Čebulj, who, together with captain Tinet Urnaut, formed an excellent team in this tournament as well reception couple
When the French got the third and fourth set, maybe someone thought that the Slovenians would not recover in overtime, but they showed exceptional maturity. Tina Urnaut: “Peacefully we are played in the fifth set. Such as we are agreed. They let go we are all on the field. But the fourth set was more important when we are were in trouble, but we didn’t break up, but then we are transfer this energy to the fifth set.”
If we get a ticket to Paris, it will be an indescribably beautiful summer.
Dejan Vinčić perfectly organized the Slovenian game after arriving in Rome just a day before the game (and replaced the injured Gregor Ropret). “Sincere thanks to Dejan for accepting the invitation. I don’t think we could have made it without him. He gave us energy, we played we are for the injured Gregor, however for all Slovenian fans,” said Čebulj.
He also confirmed that Vinčić was not aware that he did not train with the national team this summer libero Jani Kovačič: “Overjoyed we are were when we are learned that Vinko would come to help us. He was calm throughout the match, he did his job and helped us.“
Busy summer for the volleyball players are not done yet, in fact, the most important task awaits them: the qualifying tournament for the Olympic Games, which will take place in two weeks. Onion: “We know how much we want it to come to the Olympic Games. These are for four years, while the European championships are for two years and then they lose a bit of their charm. If we get a ticket for Paris, it will be an indescribably beautiful summer.“
The Slovenians will qualify for OI 2024 in Japan (group B) played between September 30 and on October 8, and two cities lead at the OI. Competitors will be Japan, USA, Serbia, Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt and Finland. In group A there will be powers benchmarks tournament host Brazil, Italy, Iran, Cuba, Ukraine, Germany, Czech Republic and Qatar, while Poland, Argentina, Netherlands, Canada, Mexico, Belgium will also compete in Group C in China, along with the hosts and Bulgaria.
If the Slovenians are not successful in Japan, they will not close the door to Paris yet, in the end the world ranking can also decide, so it is very important that they are protected Gheorghe Cretu performed so well in Varna and Rome (nine matches, eight wins).
Source: Rtvslo
