The Sitting Volleyball European Zonal Championships - Round Up

Roberta Collyer
Oct 24, 2023
4 min read

The European sitting volleyball championships occurred between the 9th and 15th of October. The competition was held in the historical village of Caorle, a few kilometres from Venice on the coast of the Adriatic Sea.

Sitting volleyball is a Paralympic sport played by six players on each team – comparable to indoor volleyball. It was invented in the Netherlands in 1965 and first introduced to the Paralympic Games set-up in Arnhem in 1980. The women’s game debuted in Athens in 2004.

Sitting volleyball closely mirrors the rules of traditional indoor volleyball. In this adapted version, a unique rule mandates that players maintain contact between at least one buttock and the floor when making contact with the ball. Another distinctive aspect is that serves can be blocked, akin to standing volleyball. This seated format fosters inclusivity, allowing players of varying physical abilities, both disabled and able-bodied, to participate in club-level matches. At Paralympic level, athletes undergo categorization as either MD (Minimally Disabled) or D (Disabled), with each team allowed a maximum of two MD players in their squad. This classification system ensures equitable competition and creates an opportunity for diverse athletes to compete on a level playing field.

In the recent European Championships, teams from fourteen different countries participated in the men's and women's competitions. Notably, the United Kingdom entered a Women's squad, adding to the excitement of the event.

Men’s Competition:

In the men's competition, Bosnia and Herzegovina clinched victory and secured their spot at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Their journey culminated in a gripping final against Germany, where they defied the odds and claimed their 11th continental title. Despite facing a seven-match winning streak from Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina orchestrated a spectacular comeback to emerge triumphant with a 3-2 victory (18-25, 25-23, 28-30, 25-20, 15-6).

Safet Alibasic, Mirzet Duran, and Ermin Jusufovic emerged as pivotal figures for Bosnia and Herzegovina, carrying both the offensive and defensive responsibilities and amassing a remarkable 58 points. Their performance outshone Germany's Dominik Albrecht, Heiko Wiesenthal, and Juergen Schrapp, who collectively contributed 54 points in a fiercely contested final.

Alibasic made 22 points, while Duran and Jusofovic chipped in 18 points each. Jusofovic was the main defensive man at the net with eight blocks, while Alibasic and Duran deflected six and four German attacks, respectively. After splitting the wins in the first two sets, the Germans gained ground from their hard-fought 30-28 win in the third set, but the Bosnians managed to get their rhythm back to win the fourth and dictated the tempo in the final set to clinch the title.

Ukraine also had a standout performance in this European Championships, coming third in both the men’s and women’s competitions. Ukraine have been in a bronze medal six times in the history of the Euros. They have never won - though they do own a silver medal from 2017.

The last time Ukraine were in a bronze medal match was two years ago at Kemer, when they lost to Germany in five sets. However, on Friday the 13th Ukraine climbed back from a 2-1 set deficit behind the outstanding effort of Denys Bytechenko to knock out Croatia in a tie-break 3-2 (23-25, 25-16, 25-27, 25-19, 15-7). The Ukrainians made a brilliant run in the fourth set after a tied game at 15-all, scoring in a series of plays to outrun their Croatian rivals. In the fifth set, the Ukrainians dictated the tempo and never allowed the Croatians to make a comeback.

Bytechenko had a prolific scoring night, tallying 32 points, while Roman Pryshchepa and Maksym Petrenchuk accounted for 11 and 10 more, respectively. The Ukrainian top scorers outmatched the performances of Croatian scoring duo Ivan Cosic and Edvin Zdionica, who made 25 and 18 on a losing effort.

Ukraine then went on to beat Poland and secure the bronze medal at the Championships for the first time.

Day 7 - Panoramic view of Caorle's Palazzetto dello Sport 'Valter Vicentini' with all courts in full swing.

Women’s Competition:

In the semi-finals, Italy and Slovenia both encountered their most formidable opponents of the tournament. Italy, for the first time, yielded two sets, while Slovenia dropped a set before ultimately securing their respective victories.

In the eagerly awaited women's final, Italy demonstrated resilience after losing the second set. They went on to clinch the championship with a four-set triumph, sealing their victory (25-17, 22-25, 25-16, 25-22). Italy showcased their dominance in various aspects of the game, boasting a total of 43 successful attacks, 12 aces, and an impressive 15 stuff blocks.

Italy's Win

Meanwhile, in the battle for the women's bronze medal, Ukraine displayed their prowess by outplaying Germany with a 3-1 victory, the final scoreline reading 25-17, 21-25, 26-24, 25-12.

Regrettably for Great Britain, Poland showcased outstanding form in a decisive showdown, clinching a resounding 3-0 victory (25-12, 25-7, 25-14). This triumph secured Poland's impressive 7th place in the Final Rankings of the 2023 Sitting Volleyball Women's European Championship, marking a historic milestone in their journey. This achievement represents Poland's best-ever finish at the Euros, a remarkable leap forward from their three previous 8th-place standings in 2009, 2013, and 2021. Joanna Swiderska, with a remarkable match-high of 15 points, spearheaded Poland's performance, a notable feat in a game where they delivered an impressive total of 23 aces.

Great Britain's Kathleen Hawkins tries to tip the ball over the Polish block of Magdalena Glowinska.

Paris Qualifications:

Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with Italy, have cemented their places in the upcoming 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, a remarkable achievement stemming from their impressive title victories at the 2023 Sitting Volleyball European Championships, which concluded at Palamare Valter Vicentini on Sunday.

Alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy, the host country, France, has already guaranteed its quota spots for both the men's and women's teams in the upcoming 2024 Paralympic Games.

In addition to the recent championships, previous competitions, notably the 2022 World Championships and various Zonal Championships, have provided opportunities for teams to secure their spots in the upcoming Paralympic Games next year.

Iran's men's team and Brazil's women's team emerged victorious at the 2022 World ParaVolley Sitting Volleyball World Championships, held in Sarajevo.

Brazil (M) and the United States (W) have qualified as winners of the 2023 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championships in Edmonton, Canada.

Kazakhstan (M) have qualified as the highest-placed non-qualified team and China (W) have qualified as winners of the 2023 ParaVolley Pan America Zonal Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan

The final results of the men's and women’s competition are listed below:

Men:

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina

Germany

Ukraine

Poland

Croatia

Latvia

Serbia

Italy

Hungary

Turkey