03/09/2015 13:05
Big win for Cyprus girls!
2015 CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championship
Larnaka, Cyprus, September 3, 2015. Every Cypriot athlete will admit that, in whichever sport they are competing, a match against Turkey is not a normal match that you play every day. The same applied Thursday to home favourites Vasiliki Chatzikonstanta and Katerina Zakchaiou (pictured) who gave the home fans something to cheer about, winning against Aleyna Vence and Yaren Balaban 2-0 (21-18, 23-21), this way earning qualification into to the last 24 having finished third in their Pool.
“This match was different for us from the ones we normally play. Deep down we felt that we had an extra incentive to win for all the different reasons we all know. Politicians do their job, and we did ours in the court. We have nothing to settle with the Turkish girls, but this win means a lot to the whole Cyprus team,” said Chatzikonstanta.
Despite the score-line, the Cypriots had a relatively easy first set, having followed the instructions of their coach to the full. The second set however, was a completely different story. The Turkish pair improved a great deal and pushed the home players all the way. In the end, with a little bit of luck and the crowd behind them, Chatzikonstanta and Zakchaiou earned a deserved victory.
“We are both thrilled and honoured to earn this important win for our country. We gave everything we had and we are grateful for the support of the home fans who respected fair play and did not cause any problems to the Turkish team,” said Zakchaiou.
You can follow the competition also on social media with the official hashtag #EuroBeachVolleyU20
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