Wagrain-Kleinarl, Austria, March 31, 2019 – The team of Argentina delivered the major sensation of the first FIVB Snow Volleyball World Tour event, which came to an end in Wagrain-Kleinarl on Sunday. Coming from a country that has never won a medal at the Winter Olympic Games, Julieta Puntin, Cecilia Peralta, Maria Eugenia and Maria Virginia Zonta claimed the women’s bronze medals at this world-level winter sport event.
On Sunday morning, the South Americans were even well on their way to the final, winning the first set of their semifinal against Russia 1, but then their opponents proved too strong and mounted a furious comeback to claim a 2-1 (13-15, 15-9, 15-6) victory.
The bronze medal match was quite a battle between Argentina and Czech Republic 2. Both sets were very competitive, but in the money time it was the South Americans who had the upper hand to manage a 2-0 (15-13, 15-13) victory and celebrate with a medal that they had not expected themselves.
Team Argentina celebrate after defeating Czech Republic 2
“We are very, very happy, because this is the first time we play at a snow volleyball tournament and to be on the podium is perhaps something unbelievable. But I think we make a very good team,” exclaimed an elated Maria Virginia Zonta, 2012 Olympian in beach volleyball. “At first, we said we would try to win at least one match in our pool, but then we kept winning and a spot on the podium became our goal. As it turned out, it is possible! We can now say that Argentina can be a winter sports country and I hope all these European teams will come to Bariloche for the third World Tour stop in August.”
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