Archives I

19 July - 3 August	1	URS - Soviet Union
	2	DDR - German Democratic Rep.
	3	BUL - Bulgaria
	4	MAG - Hungary
	5	CUB - Cuba
	6	PER - Peru
	7	BRA - Brazil
	8	ROM - Romania

Final	URS 3 - DDR 1

3rd Place	BUL 3 - MAG 2

Semifinals	URS 3 - MAG 0 DDR 3 - BUL 2

5th Place	CUB 3 - PER 1
7th Place	BRA 3 - ROM 0

With many of the non-Communist countries boycotting these games, the Soviet Union had it easy for the gold. Challenge came mainly from within the Soviet Bloc; reigning world champion Cuba didn't fare well.

28 July - 12 August	1	CHN -China
	2	USA - United States
	3	JPN - Japan
	4	PER - Peru
	5	KOR - South Korea
	6	GER - Fed. Germany
	7	BRA - Brazil
	8	CAN - Canada

Final	CHN 3 - USA 0

3rd Place	JPN 3 - PER 1

Semifinals	USA 3 - PER 0 CHN 3 - JPN 0

5th Place	KOR 3 - GER 0
7th Place	BRA 3 - CAN 0

Now with the Communist countries boycotting, these games still felt incomplete. But China's impressive début on the Olympic scene made up for the otherwise lame geopolitical hindrance. Though losing to the USA in pool play, the Chinese came back to defeat the hosts in an overpowering final. Lang Ping began making herself an all-time legend in the eyes of the world.

17 September - 2 October	1	URS - Soviet Union
	2	PER - Peru
	3	CHN - China
	4	JPN - Japan
	5	DDR - German Dem. Rep.
	6	BRA - Brazil
	7	USA - United States
	8	KOR - South Korea

Final	URS 3 - PER 2
Go to the full table of scores
3rd Place	CHN 3 - JPN 0

Semifinals	PER 3 - JPN 2 URS 3 - CHN 0

5th Place	DDR 3 - BRA 1
7th Place	USA 3 - KOR 2

Finally both political halves of the world were present at an Olympic meet, and what an unpredictable tournament this was! Though volleyball world power Cuba boycotted these games as well, there was plenty of thrill to go around. The underdog team of the tournament, Peru, squeaked its way to the final with not one, but three 5-set comeback victories in all matches but one. But the Soviet Union, which had lost 17-19 in the fifth to Japan in pool play, went on to leave the world aghast by blanking then top world power China in the semifinal. The final pitted a solid volleyball tradition versus an emotional roller coaster full of wit and pride, but alas, experience prevailed in the end as the Soviet Union came back from 0-2 in the final to clinch the gold from the Peruvians 17-15 in the fifth set.

XXV Olympics - Barcelona 1992

25 July - 9 August	1	CUB - Cuba
	2	CIS - Unified Team
	3	USA - United States
	4	BRA - Brazil
	5	JPN - Japan
	6	NED - Netherlands
	7	CHN - China
	8	ESP - Spain

Final	CUB 3 - CIS 1

3rd Place	USA 3 - BRA 0

Semifinals	CUB 3 - USA 2 CIS 3 - BRA 1

5th Place	JPN 3 - NED 1
7th Place	CHN 3 - ESP 0

After more than a decade of absence from the Olympic stage, Cuba arrived in regal form. Characterised by a physical style of playing, Cuba forced the rest of the teams to do the same. The top four teams played similarly to the Caribbeans, though not as overpowering. The Unified Team was the former Soviet team, which at the time was a country in transition. Both Asian participants ended low in the classification, as their quicker but weaker style proved incapable of challenging the strength of the other teams. China's demise in particular was wholly uncharacteristic and most unexpected.

XXVI Olympics - Atlanta 1996

19 July - 4 August	1	CUB - Cuba
	2	CHN - China
	3	BRA - Brazil
	4	RUS - Russia
	5	NED - Netherlands
	6	KOR - South Korea
	7	USA - United States
	8	GER - Germany
	9	CAN - Canada
	9	JPN - Japan
	11	PER - Peru
	11	UKR - Ukraine

Final	CUB 3 - CHN 1

3rd Place	BRA 3 - RUS 2

Semifinals	CUB 3 - BRA 2 CHN 3 - RUS 1

5th Place	NED 3 - KOR 0
7th Place	USA 3 - GER 1

Cuba repeated as Olympic champion after dismal pool play matches. Brazil seemed poised to win at least a gold medal had it not faced Cuba in a semifinal that ended in a nasty brawl. China was the surprise of the tournament. Coached by legend

Lang Ping, the Asians brought the glory back into the Asian school, despite being overpowered by Cuba and succumbing to their own lack of experience in the final. Russia was absent from the awards stand for the first time in their history. The USA had a nightmare experience after the quarterfinals.

XXVII Olympics - Sydney 2000

__ September - __ October Read PRE and POST OLYMPIC COMMENTARY	1	CUB - Cuba
	2	RUS - Russia
	3	BRA - Brazil
	4	USA - United States
	5	CHN - China
	6	GER - Germany
	7	HRV - Croatia
	8	KOR - Korea
	9	AUS - Australia
	9	ITA - Italy
	11	KEN - Kenya
	11	PER - Peru

Final	CUB 3 - RUS 2

3rd Place	BRA 3 - USA 0

Semifinals	CUB 3 - BRA 2 RUS 3 - USA 2

5th Place	CHN 3 - GER 1
7th Place	HRV 3 - KOR 1

Gold #3 for Cuba in an amazing tournament that featured exciting matches and an underdog team that nearly stole the show: the USA. From being a team of rookies just some years ago, coach Mick Haley assembled a team with last minute changes

that brought the fun back in US volleyball. Defeating Korea (a team favoured to do very well) in the quarterfinals, the USA nearly beat Russia in the semifinal, falling in the 5th set tiebreaker! Cuba and Brazil had a re-match of their Atlanta semifinal, except this time it didn't end in a brawl. The result was the same, however, sending Cuba into the final, and Brazil into an all too familiar quest for a second consecutive bronze medal... The South Americans used their ever-present passion to end up in the same spot as four years before, downing the USA convincingly. However, the USA showed their worth. The final seemed to be a turning of tables for Cuba, with Russia going up 2-0 and the whole world gasping with anticipation for a new Olympic champion (funny, to say that about Russia, of all countries). But history does repeat itself, and the Cubans shook of the mistakes to pound Russia mercilessly in the next three sets, thus winning the gold. Another 5 set comeback à la Seoul '88, this time against Karpol and his team!

XXVIII Olympics - ΑΘΗΝΑ 2004

15 August - 29 August Read my OLYMPIC COMMENTARY	1	CHN - China
	2	RUS - Russia
	3	CUB - Cuba
	4	BRA - Brazil

		Italy, United States, South Korea, Japan, Greece, Germany, Dominican Republic, Kenya

Final	CHN 3 - RUS 2

3rd Place	CUB 3 - BRA 1

Semifinals	RUS 3 - BRA 2 CHN 3 - CUB 2

Twenty years later it's gold #2 for China. After thrilling semifinal matches in which both American squads fell short of their objective, the final felt like déjà vu from the previous Olympic final: Russia, up 2-0, lost the lead and fell in 5 sets. Reversal #2 for Karpol, who declared he'd retire after these games and thus close an Era.

The tournament was beset with many spectacular and exciting tie-breaks, quite a number of surprises, and much drama, especially in the final rounds. Brazil will lament losing 7 match points against Russia in the semifinal, while Cuba will rejoice after making the final four with an inexperienced team. The USA should've been in the final four, but ended up fourth in its pool after losing to the Caribbean debutantes from the Dominican Republic. World Champions Italy faced a red hot Cuban team in the quarters and didn't advance. Japan and Korea disappointed, but the top honours went to the only other Asian team, China, a solid group that defeated the spectacular twin towers of Ljuba and Gamova by playing a cohesive, varied, and mentally tough game.

HISTORICAL ARCHIVES