MOSCOW, July 15. /TASS/. The victory of the Russian national volleyball team in the final match of the 2019 FIVB (International Volleyball Federation) Volleyball Men's Nations League will remain for centuries in the history of the Russian volleyball, Gennady Shipulin, a vice president of the Russian Volleyball Federation (RVF), told TASS on Monday.
The Russian national men’s volleyball team enjoyed on Sunday night an aggregate score of 3-1 over the squad from the United States in the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Nations League, which was hosted by the US city of Chicago (the State of Illinois) between May 31 and July 14.
"We have proved that we have a strong team and organization," Shipulin, who is also a former merited head coach of the Russian national volleyball team, said in an interview with TASS. "The RVF is doing the right job raising the new generation of players, we currently have a young national team led by a coaching staff made of stars and this is why the result was instant, although the Nation’s League was a very tough tournament."
"The tournament’s calendar was extremely packed, including numerous flights, many on the team’s roster never stood playing for the national squad, but everything was organized that we eventually managed to fit the puzzle into one piece and enjoy the victory in the end," Shipulin said adding that "this was not a simple victory, but the win over the team of the United States, who hosted the tournament in Chicago."
"We must pay a particular attention to any tournament, where the Russian national anthem is played and the country’s flag is raised," Shipulin continued adding that the victory of the national volleyball men’s team at the Nations League was very important.
"This is a landmark event that will remain for centuries in the history of the Russian volleyball," he added.
"The Nations’ League is already a history and we will see what comes next," Shipulin continued. "We are now faced with the qualifying stage for the [2020 Summer] Olympics and the European Championships."
"We should take a rest at first and then start drawing plans for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo qualifying matches, which are scheduled for August 9-11 in St. Petersburg. We need to proceed step by step, while our plans are to win," he continued.
"It is high time for us to start winning the European Championships and to set and achieve the highest aims," Shipulin added.
Sixteen national teams contested the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Men's Nations League, which is an annual men’s volleyball tournament, held this year at the Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago. Reigning Champions Russia defeated hosts the United States in the final match of the tournament on the night of July 14, defending the title of the world’s champions.