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We’ve listed here the 10 greatest records in volleyball history that are worth checking out. After all, in a sport that demands speed, strength, and precision, records are a way to celebrate the talent and determination of the athletes.
The history of volleyball is filled with brilliant athletes and memorable teams that have left their mark, achieving feats that transcended expectations and redefined the standards of the sport. Let’s explore these achievements now!
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Going back to the beginning
Volleyball was invented in the United States in 1895 by Professor William G. Morgan. He wanted to create a sport that was calmer, less hectic than basketball. Initially, volleyball was called “mintonette.” Quite strange, right? But in 1986, the players thought this name wasn’t quite right and changed it to what we know today.
After that, volleyball began to popularize and spread worldwide. In 1964, it reached the Olympics, in Tokyo for men and in Montreal for women. The countries that excel in volleyball are Brazil and Russia. The men’s and women’s teams from these regions boast many medals and trophies.
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Now that we’ve entered this subject, let’s check out the 10 greatest records in volleyball history.
Fastest serve in history
The fastest and most powerful move in the history of world volleyball was performed by Bulgarian Matey Kaziyski. He fired the ball to the other side at an incredible speed of 132 km/h. This record was established on January 1, 2010, during the Italian Cup, when Kaziyski was playing for the Italian team Trentino. The normal speed of a serve in volleyball is about 60 km/h.
Greatest champions
Image: Pexels
In the overall volleyball medal ranking at the Olympic Games, counting both men’s and women’s championships, the Soviet Union is the biggest winner. They won gold 7 times in volleyball at the Olympics and, in total, won 12 medals.
The epic battle
In our list of the greatest records in volleyball history, we can’t forget the longest match in the sport. It happened at the London Olympics in 2012, in the men’s category. The teams from Russia and Italy faced each other for 5 hours and 56 minutes. And if you’re curious to know who came out on top, the final score was 32-30, in favor of Russia.
Highest number of passes
The folks at the Triangle Volleyball Club excelled in volleyball, making a total of 110 consecutive passes during an event at the Raleigh Convention Center in North Carolina, USA, on February 5, 2010. The club members and some friends had already beaten the previous record of 92 with 96 passes earlier in the morning. But wanting to involve more people who were at the event, a third attempt ended up breaking the final record.
White hair that stands out
Karch Kiraly is a volleyball legend. For instance, he won three consecutive Olympic gold medals in court games for the United States. And it didn’t stop there. Kiraly even participated in beach volleyball competitions when he was 40 years old, and in 2005, he became the oldest player to win a tournament of the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour at 44 years old.
The youngest
Xue Chen from China also made his name in the list of the greatest records in volleyball history. At just 17 years old, he became the youngest player to win an international beach volleyball title. This feat occurred at the China Shanghai Jinshan Open on May 28, 2006.
The height record
Do you know those two Russian volleyball players, Dmitriy Muserskiy and Aleksandr Volkov? They’re known for being giants, standing at 2.18 meters tall. And rightfully so, they excel in the game. Muserskiy has always been great at blocks, and Volkov played exceptionally as a wing spiker, making powerful attacks with the help of his height.
Read more: App fantastiche per guardare la pallavolo in diretta sul tuo telefono
Not so tall
While Muserskiy and Volkov stand out for their height, South Korean player Jung-Rok is notable for being relatively short in the world of men’s volleyball, standing at 170 cm. He holds the record for being the shortest player but compensates with sharp techniques and agility. To give you an idea, he is known for specializing in defense and has a skillful way of receiving balls.
Owner of the most medals
Serginho, the libero of the Brazilian volleyball team, is a historic figure. He is the player with the most Olympic medals in the sport, with four in total:
- Two gold, in Athens 2004 and Rio 2016
- One silver, in Beijing 2008
- One bronze, in London 2012
Good at everything she does
Image: Wikipedia.org
Closing our list of the greatest records in volleyball history, we bring a female representation. Lang Ping, a former Chinese volleyball player who turned coach, is exceptional. She led the Chinese national team to gold at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016. Thus, she became the first person in history to win gold both as a player and as a coach.
Impressed?
Volleyball records are a testament to the skill of athletes in this sport. They are a source of pride for them, for us who cheer, and for those who love volleyball.
But volleyball is a sport that is always evolving. So, it’s certain that we will see new records being broken in the coming years.
