Coach of the Ukrainian women’s volleyball team: We play with high-level opponents, but this is a good experience

Trainer Ukrainian women’s volleyball team Ivan Petkov commented on the performance of his players in the qualifying tournament at Olympic Games 2024.

“This Olympic qualification is very difficult for us, because we are playing against high-level opponents. However, this is a very good experience.”

“Our team has no experience at this level. Step by step we are starting to mine it since last year. We started 2023 very well. Now we are walking, I would even say running, along the right path in order to climb up faster. This is exactly the moment when we must gain the necessary experience to be ready for the next season in two years.

“In fact, our project is not for today. We expect good results, perhaps next year, in two years. We really expect the team to win, and to win with the best team in the world. Because all three teams we played with are among the top ten in the world. The first two teams were in the top five, and the Dominicans were in the top ten.”

“The Dutch national team began building their team in 2020, they have been working with these players for three years now. This summer they showed a great result at the European Championships, they are really in great shape. We will have a tough game again, but that’s okay, we are ready to beat the Netherlands.”

In the first qualifying match, Ukraine lost to China (0:3), then lost to the current world champions Serbia and the Dominican Republic with the same score. In the next match, the Ukrainians will play against the Netherlands on September 20.

Let us remind you that our national team was in the same group with the teams of China, Canada, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, the Netherlands and Serbia. All matches of this octet take place in China from September 16 to 24. Only the top two teams from the group will qualify for the Olympics in Paris.