The National team of BiH in sitting volleyball returned from the recent World Cup in the Netherlands with silver medal.
It is interesting that this is their 22nd consecutive medal in large competitions, and all of them from selector Mirza Hrustemovic to captain Sabahudin Delalic noted that it was never harder to achieve a medal, but it is their favourite one.
“We were in a great problem after they pushed us into a group with Egypt and we had difficult time later on. I had many matches, a numerous gold medals, but this quarterfinals with Russia carries 20 to 30 years of the future of sitting volleyball in BiH. I cannot even think about what would happen if we lost. If we went home then, that would be literally departure of the sitting volleyball in BiH,” noted Hrustemovic.
Besides the silver medal, BH national team also secured placement at the Paralympic Games, which will be held in Tokyo in 2020. Captain of BH team, Sabahudin Delalic, noted this as very important for the future of the sitting volleyball in BiH.
“This is maybe even the most important achievement for us so far. We knew what was waiting for us in the group competition with Egypt, then we played with Russia, which defeated us two times in the past year. But we fought back and went to semi-finals with Brazil. We had four players from the initial team of 1998 and won silver medal. Iran changed three generations in that period and that is why we are very happy to win this medal. I have to say that I did not expect to pass in the match with Russia and I would like to thank all the players on their great effort and struggle in that match. We could not do much in the match with Iran and a 2.46 meters tall giant because we were already very exhausted from the quarterfinals and semi-finals,” said Delalic.
The National team of BiH in sitting volleyball is BH team with the highest number of achieved medals. Their series of success started at the European Championship in 1997, where they won a bronze medal. Since then, BH National team in sitting volleyball won a medal at every large competition.
Their collection includes nine gold and two bronze medals from European championships, three gold, two silver and one bronze medals from the world championships and two gold and three silver medals from Paralympic Games.
(Source: Radiosarajevo.ba)
