Ecstasy, tears, “madness”
Olympic frenzy surprises even the volleyball players themselves
October 8, 2023, 2:54 p.m
At the European Championships a month ago, the German volleyball players failed in the round of 16. Now suddenly everything is different. The outsiders march through the Olympic qualifying tournament as if in a frenzy. The players themselves can hardly believe the success.
“Paris! Paris! We’re going to Paris!” Georg Grozer and Co. roared full of euphoria through the hall in Rio de Janeiro as the long-awaited Olympic dream finally came true. A little later, with a smile on his face, the German volleyball star proudly held the symbolic ticket for the trip to the French capital in his hands and fought back tears.
“Crazy,” said Grozer after the decisive 3-0 (25:15, 25:20, 25:16) against Qatar and shook his head in disbelief: “It’s difficult to give an interview right now, I could start crying at any second. It’s an incredible feeling. I still can’t understand it.”
Disappointing European Championships are followed by strength in qualifying
The path to participating in the Olympics for the first time since 2012 could hardly have been more confident. Six wins in six games, including surprise successes against the big favorites Brazil and world champions Italy – even before the final seventh game against Ukraine on Sunday evening (10 p.m.), the DVV team was guaranteed a ticket to the qualifying tournament.
“You should never stop believing in your dreams. We just did it – and now we’re going to Paris,” said Grozer: “It’s an awesome feeling.” And in view of the setbacks of the past few months, this is not a given: first, national coach Michal Winiarski’s team missed the final tournament of the Nations League, then followed the disappointing exit in the European Championship round of 16 a month ago.
Even veteran Grozer couldn’t find an explanation for the sudden run of success in Rio. “I don’t know how we managed to do it in such a short time.” But the team “really fought, we were one,” emphasized the diagonal attacker, who was simply “overjoyed.”
Three players already there in 2012
Grozer returned to the national team after a break of around two years to pursue his “big dream”, and at the age of 38 he has now fulfilled it again. He was already in London with captain Lukas Kampa, who was injured during the tournament in Rio, and Denys Kaliberda. At that time, the DVV selection came fifth, but then missed the Summer Games in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021.
Both times the German team failed in the final meters. Back then, Grozer experienced the painful defeats that meant the end first hand, which is why he repeatedly warned of the “long road ahead” in Rio and led the way with outstanding performances such as against Brazil (27 points) and Italy (31 points).
The fact that he can achieve such top form is also due to his girlfriend, as Grozer explained: “I thank her for always believing in me, keeping me in good condition and pushing me so that I’m not too old for volleyball yet.” The crowning achievement for the DVV star would now be to experience the Olympics together with his daughter Leana. It remains to be seen whether the 16-year-old will make it back into the team after her senior national team debut. The women also have to hope for qualification via the world rankings.