05/07/2016 09:39
Volleyball fever mounts in Estonia after ‘golden boys’ return home
2016 CEV Volleyball European League - Men
Tallinn, Estonia, July 5, 2016. Estonia men’s national team achieved a historic feat last Saturday when seizing the crown of the 2016 CEV Volleyball European League – Men in Varna by routing the Former Y.R. of Macedonia in three sets in the gold medal match played at the Palace of Culture and Sports in Bulgaria’s most popular seaside resort. This golden moment redeemed the major setback Estonia had suffered at last year’s Final Four in Walbrzych, Poland where they had to be content with fourth place after sweeping ten straight matches in the League Round.
The players and coaching staff received a warm welcome upon their arrival at Tallinn Airport, with fans, relatives, friends and many media all waiting for Estonia’s ‘golden boys’ to congratulate them on this historic achievement, take pictures and record interviews to further celebrate the moment.
Estonia won all of the matches they contested in this year’s CEV Volleyball European League – Men, i.e. six in Pool B followed by their victorious campaign at the Final Four in Varna where they first beat Bulgaria in the semis and the Former Y.R. of Macedonia in the ‘grand finale’.
The historic achievement further testifies the steady development of the Estonian national team after last year the players coached by Romanian-born Gheorghe Cretu reached the Playoff stage of the 2015 men’s EuroVolley losing only in five sets to Serbia to settle for eleventh place, their best result to date since the country’s independence in 1991.
Following their victory in the European League Finals, Estonia have now put forward their candidature to join the 2017 FIVB Volleyball World League – where they would replace the lowest ranked European team from the 2016 edition under the condition that they fulfil all of the requirements/conditions and are accepted by the FIVB.
Click here for more pictures of Team Estonia’s arrival at Tallinn Airport following their European League victory
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