- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
German gals add drama to their talent
- Updated: September 15, 2016
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, September 15, 2016 – Chantal Laboureur and Julia Sude came up short in their chase for Rio 2016 Olympic qualification in 2016, but through the disappointment the German duo wouldn’t mind taking a little credit for their country’s representation in Brazil.
“We prepared them well for the gold medal,” Sude said, smiling at the success compatriots Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst had.
She could have said that with a serious face, because in the past two years, German women’s volleyball took center stage on the FIVB World Tour.
In any other year, it would have been Laboureur and Sude in the Olympics, but they were outpointed by Ludwig/Walkenhorst and Britta Buthe/Karla Borger to claim the country’s top two spots. In fact, even Germany’s Katrin Holtwick and Ilke Semmler could make the same claim.
The year 2016 became a breakthrough for Germany, which had the depth and talent on the women’s side previously only enjoyed by the likes of Brazil and the United States.
It really wasn’t a secret why. The four teams not only trained together on a regular basis, they became friendly rivals while at the same taking measure of each other virtually on a day-to-day basis.
“We are always under pressure to work hard every day,” Laboureur said. “We cannot just say ‘OK, today we relax. We have another main draw to just play.’ It’s nice to have a lot of good teams there because it’s fun to see that today, we are a little bit more in shape than they are, or today we have to play a little …
