Eda Erdem's goal for Paris 2024: 'Finishing with a medal...'
The Turkish Women’s National Volleyball Team, known as the "Sultans of the Net," held a press conference ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Team captain Eda Erdem emphasized, "The color of the medal doesn't matter. It's my third Olympics. As long as we're on the podium, we will celebrate as if we won the championship. Finishing with a medal would be priceless."
A media day event was organized for the team, which will compete in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
At the event held in Burhan Felek Volleyball Hall, Turkish Volleyball Federation (TVF) Vice President Selahattin Süleymanoğlu, National Team Head Coach Daniele Santarelli, and Captain Eda Erdem made statements.
Süleymanoğlu mentioned that TVF President Mehmet Akif Üstündağ could not attend due to a minor health issue, saying, "He sends his regards to everyone. He will be with the team when the Olympics begin."
Highlighting the team's significant achievements last year, Süleymanoğlu said, "We had a good training camp despite some injuries. I believe we will return with a medal. I wish our team success on the road to the Olympics. Our prayers are with them. Hopefully, we will welcome them at the airport and kiss the gold medal together."
"WE FULLY DESERVE TO BE IN PARIS 2024"
Head Coach Daniele Santarelli stated that the team is in its best period since he took over, saying, "Everyone dreams of participating in the Olympics. We achieved significant feats last year. We fully deserve to be in Paris 2024. I believe we will return from the Olympics in a way that will make Turkey proud."
Noting some injuries during the camp, the Italian coach thanked the injured players and his technical team, saying, "They gave everything to come back. We are ready for the toughest tournament in the world. We continue to dream and will give everything on the court. We have prepared adequately for the Olympics and will achieve good results."
When asked about his roster choices, Santarelli said, "Deciding on the 12-player squad is the hardest task for me. We have injured players. We will travel to Paris with 14 players and have the chance to make changes until the last day. I make joint decisions with my technical and medical team. We aim to do what is best for the team and will compete in the Olympics with the right squad."
"AS LONG AS WE'RE ON THE PODIUM"
Eda Erdem expressed confidence in winning a medal despite the tough competition in Paris 2024, saying, "We had an exhausting camp and are very excited. We are going to a tournament we have dreamed of. It will be a tough tournament, but we believe we are ready. We want to experience great things in Paris. We believe we will bring many successes to our country. The color of the medal doesn't matter. It's my third Olympics. As long as we're on the podium, we will celebrate as if we won the championship. Finishing with a medal would be priceless. We have scheduled our practices early to adjust to the 9:00 AM matches. I don't think this will be a big challenge for us."
Following the media day, a farewell ceremony was held for the national team. The technical staff and players marched in a procession accompanied by a band to board the team bus, leaving Burhan Felek Volleyball Hall.
The team will depart for Paris from Istanbul Airport at 9:00 PM.
