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Paris 2024: Polish men beat USA 3-2 to reach Olympic volleyball final

07.08.2024 19:00
Poland defeated the United States 3-2 in the semifinals of the men's volleyball tournament at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, earning a spot in the championship match.
Polands Wilfredo Leon (right) in action against Team USA in Paris on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.
Poland's Wilfredo Leon (right) in action against Team USA in Paris on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.Photo: PAP/Adam Warżawa

The Poles, managed by Serbian coach Nikola Grbić, will face the winner of the other semifinal between Italy and France in the gold-medal game on Saturday.

Polscy siatkarze pokonali USA i awansowali do finału igrzysk olimpijskich w Paryżu! Poland players celebrate winning their semifinal clash against the USA at the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games on Wednesday, August 7, 2024. Photo: PAP/Adam Warżawa
Nikola Grbić. Nikola Grbić. Photo: PAP/Adam Warżawa

Poland crushed Egypt 3-0 in their Olympic tournament opener and followed up with a 3-2 win over Brazil in their second match in Paris.

The Poles lost 0-3 to Italy in their final preliminary-round fixture, having already secured a place in the knockout stages.

Grbić's men on Monday beat Slovenia 3-1 in the quarterfinals, securing a place in the competition's last four.

The Polish team, which is a strong contender in international volleyball, has been named among the country's biggest gold medal hopes at the Paris Games.

Poland players, accompanied by tennis star Iga Świątek, celebrate beating Slovenia at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Monday, August 5, 2024. Poland players, accompanied by tennis star Iga Świątek, celebrate beating Slovenia at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Monday, August 5, 2024. Photo: EPA/DANIEL IRUNGU

Poland won gold at the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal, but did not get past the quarterfinals in the last five Olympics: Athens, Beijing, London, Rio and Tokyo.

Poland won world championship titles in 2014 and 2018 and finished runners-up in 2022.

Last year, Poland won the Men's 2023 European Volleyball Championship by defeating Italy 3-0 in the final in Rome.

In late June, the Polish team claimed bronze in the Nations League after beating Slovenia 3-0 in the third-place match.

(gs)

Source: TVP, IAR, PAP