09/09/2017 14:00
Greek youngsters Klepkou/Matiou want to go for their first-ever international medals
2017 CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championship
Vulcano, Italy, September 9, 2017. Greece’s promising prospects Maria Klepkou and Dionysia Matiou want to set an exclamation mark at the #EuroBeachVolleyU20 to underline the growth of Beach Volleyball in their home nation.
Breath-taking beaches, plus comfortably warm weather over the entire year, and a clear-blue water. That is what Greece is famous for in the world.
However, despite the auspicious odds and various major successes in the past like the three #EuroBeachVolley gold medals claimed by Vassou Karadassiou (in 2001 together with Effrosyni Sfyri and in 2005 and in 2007 together with Vasiliki Arvaniti), Greece have now been waiting for quite some time for another exceptional female Beach Volleyball player.
“It is very surprising that Beach Volleyball is not as big as in other countries – even though we could celebrate some very big successes and have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world,” explains Maria Klepkou.
The 17-year-old Klepkou and her only 16-year-old teammate Dionysia Matiou are eager to become Beach Volleyball pros and to turn their home nation into a Beach Volleyball stronghold.
“More and more people start to play Beach Volleyball, but Volleyball is certainly more popular in Greece. Dionysia and I, for example, started with Volleyball too. But then our coach saw us playing Volleyball and asked us if we wanted try our luck in Beach Volleyball.”
The two youngsters from Thessaloniki did not need to think twice about it – they immediately fell in love with Beach Volleyball. “Beach Volleyball is just different. It is more than just a sport; it is a way of life – not only from the tactical and technical aspects. It is just amazing to practice and play in some of the most beautiful locations in the world. I just enjoy every second of it,” Klepkou continues.
Next week, however, the two youngsters have to return to their hometown Thessaloniki to go back to school. “It is not always easy to combine school and Beach Volleyball. Very often, we cannot go to birthday parties of family members or just enjoy time with our friends as we are working hard when we do not have classes. But I cannot imagine a life without Beach Volleyball,” she adds.
Maria Klepkou and Dionysia Matiou want to return to Greece with a medal in their pocket. At the #EuroBeachVolleyU18 in the last two years they missed out on a medal as they finished 5th last year in Brno and 9th a couple of weeks ago in Kazan. “I think we did not play our best Beach Volleyball at the #EuroBeachVolleyU18 this year, therefore, a ninth place was ok, but we are hungry for more here at the #EurobeachVolleyU20 in Vulcano,” Klepkou concludes.
At the 2017 #EuroBeachVolleyU20, the two Greek youngsters are only two wins away from their first-ever international medal as they face #EuroBeachVolleyU18 gold medal winners Maria Voronina and Mariia Bocharova from Russia at 16:00 local time in the quarterfinals.
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