Everything was decided in Hamamatsu

The world of volleyball world ended among men

Everything was mixed in the male world volleyball. It seems that the World Cup could take any of the assembled teams in Japan. Well, almost any - the same cube who beat the Brazilians themselves. Or Argentina, who won five victories. Not to mention Brazil or Italy. Everyone learned to play, even Iran - and even to fight when three Olympic vouchers stand at the stake, even more so.

Ours and the winning endings sometimes give: in the early autumn in the semifinals of the European Championship in Poland, nothing prevented the Serbs if the Russians had not prevented themselves. When the arms and legs tremble, not to exploits. But then it descended on the submitting Pavel Kruglov, the block stood up with a wall, all the attacks passed, and the miracle happened. Champagne in the locker room was poured into glasses, because the world Cup for the captain of the Russian national team Taras Hate should be handed only in the evening. The cup was large and heavy. Very heavy.

Our male volleyball in modern times rarely delighted the fans with titles. In the 90s, the Italians pushed Russia pushed back to the second or even fourth) roles, in the new century-the Brazilians. The Russians interrupted this hegemony only three times: in 1999 they won the World Cup, in 2002 and 2011-the final of the world league. After each victory, it was announced that a new era began in the world volleyball, and now we will not allow anyone to push us from the pedestal. The last triumph again caused euphoria, but after a couple of months the Czech-Austrian European Championship lowered the Russian team to the sinful land. We are not at all lucky with “Europe” for completely incomprehensible reasons: we are always favorites - and always lose. And then it was doubly unlucky, because the road to the Olympic London began from Vienna. Or did not begin - to Japan to the World Cup, where the first three Olympic vouchers were to be played, only the finalists of the five continental championships fell. That is, from Europe - Serbia and Italy. Ten teams plus two more, the subjective choice of which was completely dependent on the international volleyball federation.

If it were not for the victory in the world league in this July, Russia would not be seen in Russia Wild Card. Despite all the previous merits, our team did not receive such an honor, even when there were formal grounds. But then lucky, like the Poles. The rest was behind the wards of Vladimir Alekno, who had no time to lick the wounds after Fiasco at Stadthalla.

It was necessary to fly without an injured main playing Sergey Grankin and with the injured captain Taras Hteet. With three crossings along the route of Kagosim - Kumamoto - Kamamatsu - Tokyo of the Russian national team, like everyone else, it was necessary to play 11 matches in 15 days according to a circular system. The schedule was determined according to the position of the team made by special decision - in the first four rounds, the Russians should have played with Italy, the USA and Brazil. One defeat did not solve anything, two questioned the final success, the three meant that the issue with the Olympic qualifications would have to be postponed until better times.

The true capabilities of the Alekno team could only be identified during the unprecedented tournament in tension. The start in Kagosim turned out to be a stunningly good - three victories in a row, one party given to the Italians, a maximum of points scored. They went to Kumamoto against the Brazilians, and the living with partners in the old memory made a cutlet from the Russian national team. It seems to be the master of the main playing Alexander Butko again reminiscent of the newcomer; Maxim Mikhailov’s best diagonal world volleyball was reliably “leaked”; The giant Dima Musetsky, going out in the starting lineup, was striking only with his growth, and Taras Hzey still treated the injury. Three parties were lost without question, the continuation did not promise anything good: after Egypt, the champions of Europe, the strong Argentina and Cuba, were waiting for the Russians already in the Hamamatsu Russians.

But Alekno had a secret weapon in the person of the two “mastodons”, who won the very old World Cup-99-Sergey Tetyukhin and Roman Yakovlev. Tetyukhina was written off from the national team two years ago, but now the 36-year-old veteran and cemented the defense, and supported the morale. From the defeat, it was necessary to extract the only lesson - to forget about it as soon as possible. However, there was especially no time to remember. Meanwhile, the powerful Polish national team, literally smearing the Iranians around the site in the first two parties, surrendered in the next three. When the Brazilians lost to Cuba, and then that lost every chance of Serbia, it became completely interesting.

Everything had to be decided in Hamamatsu. Matches with the participation of Russians were played in six to Moscow time, and the mood of our fans for three days in a row directly depended on what the morning would be. For the wards of Vladimir Alekno, it was hard male work, in which it was impossible to give slack and allow themselves to think that other favorites also lose points. Heli left the infirmary in time, the wolves were located, Sokolov lifted the balls, the gun Mikhailov earned the full force again (he was recognized as the most valuable player in the World Cup) - and the Russians gave only one batch to Hamamatsu. At the same time, in each meeting there were times when everything could end differently, especially in the game with phenomenally jumping and persistent Cubans.

One way or another, it went to the “finale” with the Poles. But before that, it was necessary to pass the owners and the Iranian team - already in Tokyo, in the Yoogi Hall. At the last point of the large Japanese tour, all the teams approached the last gasp - in the first batch of the tenth match, the national teams of Russia and Iran resembled the tired boxers, and the wards of the famous coach Julio Velasco were already enough for 60 draws. But on this World Cup, nothing could surprise. It was this party won by the Russians (and then the match) opened the way to London. Through quite difficult calculations, it turned out that in order to win the World Cup, you need to take from the Polish national team, who, on the eve of the losing Brazilians in a tie-break, is only two parties. Or as many as two parties - depending on how to treat it.

Our reacted seriously. It was again at six in the morning in our opinion, and the action was worth seeing it in real time. In the way, it turned out that when the Damocles sword of the game is not hanging over Russian volleyball players, they can be both collected and relaxed. No one flinked and did not panic, and the move with the reserve released at the decisive moment turned out to be just magical. It was beautiful.

Alekno said that he was feeling the happiest person in the world. It was not worth it to remind that in London there will be no circular system.

He will think about it tomorrow.