Kraków, Poland, July 17, 2016 - The 27th season of the FIVB World
League concluded on Sunday night in Tauron Arena, Krakow as Serbia
prevailed over Brazil to claim their first ever title.
Serbia
was the only side competing at the Finals to have not qualified for the
Rio 2016 Olympic Games and, as such, this was the last tournament for
them this year.
"It’s a pity that we don’t go
to the Olympic Games, because we play really well beating now almost all
the best teams in the world – Italy, Russia, Poland," Serbia's Marko
Podrascanin said. "It was a great season and now we are going to
celebrate this historical success."
The other fives teams will now start their preparation for the Olympics, with medals no doubt on their minds.
"Our
main goal is the Olympic Games, so now we need to think about the good
things and learn from our mistakes," Brazil coach Bernardo Rezende said.
Not
winning the World League might be a good omen for them as four years
earlier Poland claimed the 2012 World League title but did not make it
any further than the quarterfinal stages at London 2012.
This
year's World League marked a new chapter for this competition which
grew up for the first time ever to include 36 teams across three groups
of 12. The winner was decided in Krakow during a very tight final phase.
"The
expansion has helped enhance the competiveness and intensity of the
tournament, making it more attractive to fans and sponsors worldwide,"
FIVB President Dr. Ary S. Graça F° said.
The
six contenders - Brazil, USA, Italy, Poland, Serbia and France -
confirmed that they are rightly sat at the top table of men's volleyball
with a high quality tournament. Most of the encounters were very tight
with the likes of Poland and Brazil's comeback victories from 2-0 down
in their games against France and USA respectively just two examples of
that. Another highlight was the semifinal between France and Brazil when
the teams needed 2 hours and 16 minutes to decide the winner in four
sets.
After the final the Dream Team was revealed which consist from the following players:
MVP - Marko Ivovic (Serbia)
Best Outside Spiker - Marko Ivovic (Serbia)
Best Outside Spiker - Antonin Rouzier (France)
Best Middle Blocker - Mauricio (Brazil)
Best Middle Blocker - Srecko Lisinac (Serbia)
Best Libero - Jenia Grebennikov (France)
Best Setter - Simona Giannelli (Italy)
Best Opposite - Wallace (Brazil)
The
final stages of the tournamet in Krakow were witnessed by FIVB
President Dr. Ary S. Graça F° who also met the referees making their
final preparations for the Olympic Games.
"We
have the opportunity to launch volleyball around the world at the
Olympic Games and referees are very important in this process,"
President Graça said. "This is why we are holding these seminars, to
give referees training - just like athletes - ahead of the biggest
sporting event in the world."
The President
added that new technologies showcased at the FIVB World League Finals
will be used at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, including the Volleyball
Challenge System, electronic score sheets for volleyball and beach
volleyball and the electronic team and referee tablets for the
volleyball.
For Krakow and Tauron Arena it was
a second big volleyball event after hosting the FIVB Volleyball Men’s
World Championship in 2014.
"Until now,
Katowice in 2001, 2007 and Gdansk in 2011 were the two Polish cities who
had the pleasure of hosting the World League Finals," Polish Volleyball
Federation President Jacek Kasprzyk said. "This year Kraków joins the
club with its beautiful, state-of-the-art Tauron Arena. I would like to
give my thanks to Prof. Jacek Majchrowski, Mayor of Krakow, as well as
the city’s institutions and authorities, for the fruitful cooperation
and for effectively promoting the city through sport."
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