Zaytsev: Volleyball star dreams of golden moment

Lausanne, Switzerland, April 28, 2016 – After the most eventful year of his career, Ivan Zaytsev is now hoping to crown the season with a golden moment. The top hitter, lovingly known by Italian fans as the “Tsar” for his Russian roots and his exceptional skills, dreams of winning the FIVB Volleyball World League – and, above all, the Olympic Games in Rio. Despite having amassed a large collection of medals, the global volleyball star is yet to win gold with the Italian national team. “The memory of standing on the podium at the Olympics in London is something I will never forget. It is a wonderful feeling to have an Olympic medal round your neck. Hopefully bronze won’t be my last Olympic medal. The goal for Rio is to reach the final – and to win it,” said Zaytsev. It is largely down to his own efforts that he has a chance of Olympic success with the Italian national team. He was the Azzurri’s top scorer with 197 points in last year’s FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup and was named the tournament’s top opposite hitter. Italy won silver at the World Cup – “the greatest success of my career,” as Zaytsev put it. He had previously won the third European Championship medal of his career – a bronze –  just a few weeks after being thrown out of the Italian team ahead of the World League Finals in Rio de Janeiro. Zaytsev had returned to the team hotel too late one evening. “Having to return to Italy was a …

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