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Polish women’s volleyball team triumphs over Japan in Olympic return

The Polish team secured a 3:1 victory over Japan in the Olympic opener. Photo:
The Polish team secured a 3:1 victory over Japan in the Olympic opener. Photo: PAP/Adam Warżawa
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The Polish women’s volleyball team made a triumphant Olympic return after 16 years, kicking off their Paris campaign on Saturday with a thrilling 3:1 victory over Japan in their first Group B match (20:25, 25:22, 25:23, 28:26).

Poland’s top scorers were Agnieszka Korneluk, who scored 20 points (including eight blocks, equalling the Olympic record in this field), and Magdalena Stysiak, who notched 18 points .
With this victory, the doors are now wide open for the whites-and-reds to reach the quarterfinals. They can secure promotion as early as Wednesday when they face what is considered the weakest team in the competition—Kenya.

Polish volleyball fans have waited 16 years for the women’s national team to return to the Olympics, while the Japanese team regularly features in the event.

Both teams mostly meet each other in the Nations League tournament. When they last met in May in Turkey, Stefano Lavarini’s Poles won a comprehensive 3:0 victory.

The second match of the “Polish” group, Brazil vs. Kenya, will be played on Monday.

Polish men also boast success

On Saturday, the Polish men’s volleyball team also won its first match of Group B, defeating Egypt 3:0 (25:21, 25:19, 25:13).

Nikola Grbić’s team will next face Brazil on Wednesday.
Source: PAP, en.volleyballworld.com
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