Sultans of the Net fall 3-0 to Italy: Stopped short in the semifinals
Turkiye's National Women's Volleyball Team, known as the "Sultans of the Net," was defeated by Italy in the semifinals of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, losing 3-0. The team will now face Brazil in the bronze medal match.
In the semifinal match, the Filenin Sultanları were unable to overcome the world’s number one team, Italy, and thus missed out on the chance to compete for the gold medal. The Turkish team will take on Brazil for the bronze medal tomorrow at 18:15.
The Turkish team started the first set strong, taking a 9-5 lead with points from Eda, Zehra, and Elif. However, Italy caught up at 14-14. Despite Turkey briefly regaining the lead at 18-16 and then 21-17, Italy closed the gap and won the set 25-22.
Italy to Face the USA in the Final
The second set was closely contested, with the teams tied at 8-8 and 13-13. Turkey took a 15-13 lead, but Italy responded by taking the lead at 17-15 and maintaining their momentum to win the set 25-19. In the third set, Turkey managed to get ahead 6-3 and 12-9, forcing Italy to take two early timeouts.
Despite being ahead 20-18 in the third set, Turkey could not maintain their advantage, and Italy won the set 25-22, securing a 3-0 victory in the match. Italy will now face the USA in the final on August 11.
"We Want a Medal"
Turkey's team captain, Eda Erdem, reflected on the match, saying, "Reaching the semifinals is a great achievement for us. We really wanted to win, but we couldn't stay calm, even when we were ahead. Italy played very calmly. We made some mistakes in crucial moments. Despite all the challenges, I'm proud of the team and the technical staff for their fight. We still have a chance to win a medal. The support from the fans here is incredible. The match against Brazil will be tough, and the team that prepares better and stays calmer will win. We really want to win a medal."
Disappointment in Taekwondo
In taekwondo, Hakan Reçber lost 2-1 to Brazilian Edival Pontes in the repechage match, and Hatice Kübra İlgün was defeated 2-0 by Canadian Skylar Park, ending their Paris 2024 campaigns.
In weightlifting, Muhammed Furkan Özbek finished fourth overall with a total of 341 kg. In modern pentathlon, Buğra Ünal and İlke Özyüksel Mihrioğlu will compete in the semifinals in fencing.
In athletics, Emel Dereli finished 24th in shot put with a distance of 17.02 meters, failing to advance to the final.
Venue: South Paris
Referees: Wojciech Maroszek, Sumie Myoi
Turkey Lineup: Elif, Eda, Ebrar, Hande, Zehra, Vargas, Gizem (libero), Meliha, Derya
Italy Lineup: Orro, Bosetti, Danesi, Sylla, Egonu, Fahr, Gennaro (libero), Cambi, Antropova, Giovannini
Set Scores: 22-25, 19-25, 22-25
