2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic GamesAug 4, 2016 by Beverly Oden
2016 Olympics Rankings: #2 Poland (Men)
2016 Olympics Rankings: #2 Poland (Men)
The FloVolleyball Olympics Rankings will count down to the start of the indoor volleyball competition in Rio by highlighting one team per gender each day. T
The FloVolleyball Olympics Rankings will count down to the start of the indoor volleyball competition in Rio by highlighting one team per gender each day. Today, two days before the first serve, we profile the No. 2-ranked Poland men and USA women.
COUNTRY: Poland
TOP PLAYERS
Dawid Konarski, Opposite
Second-best blocker, ninth-best spiker at World League Final Round; Poland's best scorer, best spiker, best blocker and second-best server at World League
Rafał Buszek, Outside Hitter
Sixth-best spiker at World League Final Round; Poland's third-best scorer and second-best digger at World League
Karol Klos, Middle Blocker
Third-best blocker at World League Final Round; Poland's second-best blocker at World League
Bartosz Kurek, Opposite
Poland's second-best scorer, fourth-best spiker, and third-best server at World League
RISING STAR TO WATCH
Mateusz Bieniek | 24 | Middle Blocker
Best server at World League Final Round; Poland's best server, fifth-best scorer, fourth-best blocker at World League
Rio marks Poland's ninth Olympics appearance, but the program has won only one medal: a gold in 1976. Poland finished fifth in each of the last three Olympics, but it enters the 2016 Games with a No. 2 world ranking and could be in the hunt for a medal this time around.
Poland's recent results are varied and it has used several different lineups along the way, so it's unclear just how good this team will be in Rio. On the downside, the Poland men failed to earn a berth at the European Qualifier, placing third to Russia and France and needing five sets to beat Germany for the bronze. They eventually qualified winning the World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Japan.
Poland's high ranking is largely due to its gold-medal finish at World Championships in 2014. Two of the key players from that win are not on the roster for Rio, but Poland went on without them to good success at other major international tournaments. It finished with a 10-1 record at World Cup in 2015, losing only to USA and tying the record of the first-place Americans and second-place French, but ended up in third on points.
Poland's best World League performance this quad was a fourth place in 2015 when it advanced to the final round, but lost to eventual champion France in the semifinal and to USA in the bronze medal match. Poland hosted the final round of World League in 2016 and as the host country automatically qualified for the playoffs. Because of this, Poland's coaches were able to use many different lineups until the very end of the tournament. That decision may have backfired as the team ended the preliminary round with just a 3-6 record and although it beat France in five sets in the final round, Poland lost to eventual champion Serbia in four and did not make the medal round.
The level of parity in mens volleyball means that there are several teams capable of medaling in Rio. Poland's gamble not to use key players for much of World League could help it or come back to haunt it. The team could be ready and rested when the first whistle blows in Rio, or it may have lost an opportunity to fine-tune its game against high-quality competition. Poland will advance from pool play, but its seeding will be pivotal. If it comes out second or third, it will face a very tough quarterfinal matchup. Surviving the quarters could lead to a run for the gold medal match.
11. Egypt
10. Cuba
9. Canada
8. Argentina
6. Iran
5. Italy
COUNTRY: Poland
TOP PLAYERS
Dawid Konarski, OppositeSecond-best blocker, ninth-best spiker at World League Final Round; Poland's best scorer, best spiker, best blocker and second-best server at World League
Rafał Buszek, Outside Hitter
Sixth-best spiker at World League Final Round; Poland's third-best scorer and second-best digger at World League
Karol Klos, Middle Blocker
Third-best blocker at World League Final Round; Poland's second-best blocker at World League
Bartosz Kurek, Opposite
Poland's second-best scorer, fourth-best spiker, and third-best server at World League
RISING STAR TO WATCH
Mateusz Bieniek | 24 | Middle Blocker
Best server at World League Final Round; Poland's best server, fifth-best scorer, fourth-best blocker at World League
SYNOPSIS
Rio marks Poland's ninth Olympics appearance, but the program has won only one medal: a gold in 1976. Poland finished fifth in each of the last three Olympics, but it enters the 2016 Games with a No. 2 world ranking and could be in the hunt for a medal this time around.
Poland's recent results are varied and it has used several different lineups along the way, so it's unclear just how good this team will be in Rio. On the downside, the Poland men failed to earn a berth at the European Qualifier, placing third to Russia and France and needing five sets to beat Germany for the bronze. They eventually qualified winning the World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Japan.
Poland's high ranking is largely due to its gold-medal finish at World Championships in 2014. Two of the key players from that win are not on the roster for Rio, but Poland went on without them to good success at other major international tournaments. It finished with a 10-1 record at World Cup in 2015, losing only to USA and tying the record of the first-place Americans and second-place French, but ended up in third on points.
Poland's best World League performance this quad was a fourth place in 2015 when it advanced to the final round, but lost to eventual champion France in the semifinal and to USA in the bronze medal match. Poland hosted the final round of World League in 2016 and as the host country automatically qualified for the playoffs. Because of this, Poland's coaches were able to use many different lineups until the very end of the tournament. That decision may have backfired as the team ended the preliminary round with just a 3-6 record and although it beat France in five sets in the final round, Poland lost to eventual champion Serbia in four and did not make the medal round.
PREDICTION
The level of parity in mens volleyball means that there are several teams capable of medaling in Rio. Poland's gamble not to use key players for much of World League could help it or come back to haunt it. The team could be ready and rested when the first whistle blows in Rio, or it may have lost an opportunity to fine-tune its game against high-quality competition. Poland will advance from pool play, but its seeding will be pivotal. If it comes out second or third, it will face a very tough quarterfinal matchup. Surviving the quarters could lead to a run for the gold medal match.
FloVolleyball Men's 2016 Olympics Rankings
12. Mexico
11. Egypt
10. Cuba
9. Canada
8. Argentina
7. France
6. Iran
5. Italy
4. USA
3. Russia
2. Poland
