This afternoon Russia’s Olga Sorokina/Ksenia Dabizha and Viacheslav Kirienko/Vasili Andrianov were crowned U18 European champions on the final day of the competition that was held on the beach located near the “Edificio Transparente” in Porto. The awarding ceremony counted upon the presence of Mrs. Riet Ooms, CEV Vice President and Jury President of the event, CEV Technical Supervisor Oliver Dieterle, Mr. Nuno Lemos representing the Porto City Hall, Mr. Teodemiro Carvalho, Tournament Director, and Henrique Gomes, Competition Director. Mrs. Ooms thanked, on behalf of CEV, the Portuguese Volleyball Federation for “the excellent job done in the organization of this Championship”, highlighting the “hard work of all the persons involved in this event, of great importance for Beach Volleyball”.
In the women’s final, strongly supported by numerous spectators, Mariana Filipe Alexandre and Joana Neto were very close to win the first set. They didn’t (20-22) and the Russians Olga Sorokina and Ksenia Dabizha saw their opportunity to risk it all in the second set. The growing motivation produced good results so Olga and Ksenia ended up by claiming the gold medal winning the second set 25-13. “We are very happy with the victory, since we knew that the Portuguese team was very difficult to overcome, and they never give up fighting. We wanted a medal and the gold even goes beyond our expectations”.
Proving that there are no two equal matches, on Saturday the Portuguese team had defeated (25-23 and 25-18) Olga Sorokina and Ksenia Dabizha on the way to the semifinals. “It was a very big emotion and a unique sensation in our lives. We cried when we saw the Portuguese flag being hoisted during the awarding ceremony. We were able to take real high Portugal’s name in the international Beach Volleyball arena and we like to believe that we are a reason of pride for the Portuguese people. It was great arriving this far. This medal was not in our horizon” said Joana and Mariana.
The team Mariana Filipe and Joana Neto wrote a special page in the Portuguese sport by reaching, for the first time in the history of Portuguese female Beach Volleyball, the silver medal at the Under 18 European Championships, after the 13th position reached last year in Espinho.
In 2001, Jose Pedrosa and Jose Teixeira became Under 23 European champions in Esposende (Portugal), after winning, in 1997, the bronze medal in the Under 20 Championships in Zagreb (Croatia). Back in 1996, Jorge Alves and Joao Silva were ranked 2nd in the Under 20 European Champs in Jurmala (Latvia).
In the women bronze medal match, Anna Behlen and Anika Krebs from Germany defeated (2:1, 16-21, 21-14 and 15-10) the team from Poland Agata Lewicka and Karolina Baran. Anika has no doubts: “It was a great victory. It’s good to have this kind of results, since the bronze medal is the accomplishment of a dream. Anna and I understand each other perfectly and I only hope that we may be able to play in the World Tour and participate in the Olympics”.
In the women’s final, strongly supported by numerous spectators, Mariana Filipe Alexandre and Joana Neto were very close to win the first set. They didn’t (20-22) and the Russians Olga Sorokina and Ksenia Dabizha saw their opportunity to risk it all in the second set. The growing motivation produced good results so Olga and Ksenia ended up by claiming the gold medal winning the second set 25-13. “We are very happy with the victory, since we knew that the Portuguese team was very difficult to overcome, and they never give up fighting. We wanted a medal and the gold even goes beyond our expectations”.
Proving that there are no two equal matches, on Saturday the Portuguese team had defeated (25-23 and 25-18) Olga Sorokina and Ksenia Dabizha on the way to the semifinals. “It was a very big emotion and a unique sensation in our lives. We cried when we saw the Portuguese flag being hoisted during the awarding ceremony. We were able to take real high Portugal’s name in the international Beach Volleyball arena and we like to believe that we are a reason of pride for the Portuguese people. It was great arriving this far. This medal was not in our horizon” said Joana and Mariana.
The team Mariana Filipe and Joana Neto wrote a special page in the Portuguese sport by reaching, for the first time in the history of Portuguese female Beach Volleyball, the silver medal at the Under 18 European Championships, after the 13th position reached last year in Espinho.
In 2001, Jose Pedrosa and Jose Teixeira became Under 23 European champions in Esposende (Portugal), after winning, in 1997, the bronze medal in the Under 20 Championships in Zagreb (Croatia). Back in 1996, Jorge Alves and Joao Silva were ranked 2nd in the Under 20 European Champs in Jurmala (Latvia).
In the women bronze medal match, Anna Behlen and Anika Krebs from Germany defeated (2:1, 16-21, 21-14 and 15-10) the team from Poland Agata Lewicka and Karolina Baran. Anika has no doubts: “It was a great victory. It’s good to have this kind of results, since the bronze medal is the accomplishment of a dream. Anna and I understand each other perfectly and I only hope that we may be able to play in the World Tour and participate in the Olympics”.
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