Volleyball: Women's World Championship - Japan 2006
Golden Russian Girls!
The main favourites were Russia, Cuba, Italy, and Brazil. But so much
attention wasn't paid even to the golden girls but to the girls who
won the bronze medal. Only two days after the great success, Serbian
girls got warm welcome back party on the plato in front of the City
Council in Belgrade. Singing, flags, applauses. More than 10 thousands
people came welcome the girls, third in the world, after 28 years
without taking part in World Championships
By MILOŠ JEREMIĆ
from Belgrade, SERBIA
Competition of the best women volleyball players in the world in Japan
had finished. The new world champion is a national team of Russia.
Just after them were Brazilian girls, who "played their Samba"
but unfortunately, without final twist. Finally, the national team
of Serbia & Montenegro won the bronze medal!
Is it because girls were playing or because this championship took
place before men championship or because of something else but World
Volleyball Championship for women in "The country of the rising
sun" attracted more attention then their male colleagues a week
later, on the same place.
The
main favourites, as the experts predicted, were Russia, Cuba, Italy,
Brazil. Also, girls from China, Taiwan, and young Polish team were
waiting for their moment. However, something unexpected happened on
the net. Even so much attention wasn't paid to the golden girls but
to the girls who won the bronze!
Indeed, popular Serbian "girls in blue", little afraid at
the beginning, in every match during the championship, they would
show something that none could expect, even the biggest optimists.
From the very first moment till the last game against Italy, they
beaten Cuba, then Peru and weak Egyptian girls, then Poland and finally
"Asian Tigers" - Korea and Chinese Taipei. Only home selection
of Japan stopped the Blue Machine. They will have to learn more from
Brazil but in the medal match against Francesca Piccinini and co.
they showed they are talented and in the future will show their Serbian
strength. I said "Serbian"... which implies one more curiosity:
a medal was won by the national team of the country that doesn't exist
anymore. Beginning with the next year, they will play as the Serbian
team but without changing players.
There
are no words to describe the play of Russian team because that kind
of game is something that only they could demonstrate. With an experienced
Gamova as their leader, Russian girls swept the floor with their enemies.
In the final game against "Cariocas" it was very hard but
they succeeded and won the game. Brazilian girls won the silver medal
that certainly can't make them satisfied. They were so close once
more, but yet, so many miles far away. At least for one point, final
block...
The World Championship brought to us some new-old stars. The most
popular were (can you imagine?) Japanese player Takeshita, the best
technician in the World. The most successful libero was Suzana Cebic,
player of the Serbia and Montenegro national team, whereas very good
were also Brazilian girl Francesca, Serbian girls Ivana Djerisilo
and Anja Spasojevic and Russian girls Gobina and Gamova.
Only two days after the great success, Serbian girls got warm welcome
party on the plato in front of the City Council in Belgrade. Singing,
flags, applauses. More than 10 thousands people came to welcome the
girls, the third in the world. The main role on the balcony was played
by our Serbian girls, happy for their success that came after 28 long
years without taking part in World Championship. Now they went, saw
and won! By themselves! And their bronze is shining like a diamond.
Photos: www.fivb.com
