Polish players are happy to play in front of their own crowd
Kraków, Poland, July 12, 2016 - Poland qualified automatically for the World League Finals as the tournament hosts. With three victories and six defeats in the Preliminary Round, they ranked 10th, prevailing only over Bulgaria and Australia.
Dawid Konarski was the leading scorer for Poland winning 90 points, while Bartosz Kurek was second best with 71 points.
FIVB Volleyball World League Group 1 Ranking after the Preliminary Round
Poland won their first match in the Preliminary Round 3-1 against Bulgaria but then suffered a setback losing two other matches against Russia and Serbia. In the next two weekends, the White-Reds managed only to defeat Argentina 3-1 and Belgium 3-2 respectively.
In 18 FIVB Volleyball World League participations, reigning world champions Poland’s best finish was a first place in 2012, which came after a bronze medal in the previous year. In 2015, they reached the final round of the premier annual men’s tournament, but lost in the semifinals to eventual champions France. In the bronze medal match, they were defeated by USA.
Poland boasts a long and vibrant volleyball tradition, with the national team having played an important role in the development of the sport since their appearance at the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in 1949. They won their first World Championship gold in 1974. Thirty years later they seized their second gold medal when they hosted the 2014 World Championship.
FIVB Volleyball World League Group 1 Finals Schedule
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