Japan and Poland completed the women’s podium, while Poland and China took silver and bronze in the men’s competition
Hosts China claimed the women’s volleyball gold at the International University Sports Federation (FISU) World University Games Chengdu 2021 on Sunday. The Italian team followed suit in the men’s volleyball competition after winning Monday’s final.
The women’s tournament at Chengdu 2021 took place from 30 July through 6 August with the participation of Argentina, Brazil, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Czechia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan and Poland, split into four pools of three for the first stage of the competition. The top two of each pool advanced to the quarterfinals and their winners – Brazil, China, Japan and Poland – made it to the semifinals.
To reach the gold medal match, Japan squeezed out a tight 3-2 (27-25, 20-25, 19-25, 25-15, 15-9) victory over Brazil, while the home team downed Poland in a 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-15) straight-setter. The Europeans made their way to the podium, claiming the bronze after a 3-1 (12-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-20) comeback in the third-place match against the South Americans.
In the final, China battled it out in three sets to triumph after a hard-fought 3-0 (29-27, 29-27, 25-22) victory, with three players – China’s Wu Mengjie and Japan’s Yoshino Sato and Ameze Miyabe – sharing the top scorer honours of the match with 16 points each, while China’s Gao Yi impressed with five kill blocks.
It was Chinese women’s seventh gold and 11th overall medal since the first tournament back in 1961. Japan have now collected 11 podiums, including two gold, five silver and four bronze medals, while Poland have one gold and two bronze medals on their record.
Chinese women take a selfie as FISU World University Games champions (Photo credits: Xinhua News)
16 teams played in the men’s competition from 29 July to 7 August: Argentina, Azerbaijan, Brazil, China, Chinese Taipei, Czechia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Korea, Poland, Portugal and Ukraine, split into four pools of four for the first stage. After the pool winners and the pool runners-up met in the quarterfinals, the two semifinals – Poland versus Iran and Italy versus China – were set.
Poland swept their game with Iran in straight sets, 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-11), while Italy also triumphed against China, 3-0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-15), to set up an all-European final. Before that, China mastered a 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-12) clean slate in the all-Asian bronze medal game against Iran to pick up their second podium in the history of the competition, after their silver in 1987.
Monday’s gold medal match was also resolved in three sets. Italy claimed a 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 28-26) victory over Poland to collect their second consecutive and third overall title, to add to the one silver and five bronze medals on their tally. For Poland, it was the country’s second consecutive, and fourth overall, silver. Since the first tournament in 1959, they have also collected one gold and one bronze.
Poland’s Kewin Michal Sasak was the best scorer of the final with 15 points, while Giulio Magalini and Lorenzo Sala led Italy with 14 points apiece.
Italian men celebrate as FISU World University Games champions (Photo credits: federvolley.it)
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