(ATR) A day after Russia pledged to stop its invasion of neighboring Georgia, the Georgia women’s beach volleyball players spiked their Russian opponents and sent them home from the Olympics.
In a thrilling match Wednesday at Beijing’s Chaoyang Park Beach Volleyball Ground, Cristine Santanna and Andrezza Chagas rallied from a huge deficit – saving match point -- to force Natalia Uryadova and Alexandra Shiryaeva out of the Games by a 2-1 score.
Unlike the famous 1956 water polo match between the Soviet Union and Hungary that left blood in the water, there was no blood in the sand.
But there was plenty of pride in the air. It made no difference to Georgia that its two players are Brazilians who switched sporting allegiances about two years ago.
They were invited to represent Georgia to raise the level of play in the former Soviet republic and were eager for a chance to play on the international circuit. Brazil has so many great volleyball players that it’s hard to rise to the top. The Georgia men’s team is also composed of Brazilians.
“I really felt like a Georgian,” team captain Cristine Santanna told reporters after the match.
“I don’t want to get political, because this is Olympic Games, but in my heart, I wanted to beat Russia for sure.”
Santanna and Chagas use different names on the court: Saka and Rtvelo. Together, the names form the word “Georgia” in the Georgian language.
Violence Invades Sporting World
After her match Monday, Santanna said she returned to the Olympic Village to a disturbing sight. News had spread of the violence in Georgia that had forced 100,000 people from their homes.
“Everybody was outside crying, very upset,” she said.
“They were going home. The whole Georgian team was leaving the Olympics, and then they decided to stay.”
Georgia President Mikhail Saakashvili, whose wife is a volleyball player, asked the entire 35-athlete team to stay in Beijing.
“We stayed to continue to give some happiness to our country,” said Georgia volleyball federation president Levan Akhvlediani.
He said although some athletes from other sports wanted to go home, he was in favor of staying.
“We have to respect the Olympic principles,” Akhvlediani said. “Many other countries also have problems, but they stay and compete here.”
Although a Georgian shooter won a silver medal Tuesday, judo players didn’t win any medals despite being strong contenders entering the Games.
“They cannot even compete,” Santanna said.
“I know they have family back in Georgia and it’s very hard to concentrate.”
The stakes were high in Wednesday’s match. Both teams knew that whichever team lost would be eliminated from the Olympics.
In Georgia, Akhvlediani said, the people will “be very happy. Of course we beat Russia, but they will be happy because we go to the next round. We were sitting 22 in 24 teams.”
Losing Team Has a Different Spin
The Russian players tried to downplay the loss.
“We regret we lost this game,” Uryadova said. “We are not actually playing against the Georgian team. We are playing against our Brazilian friends.”
Santanna, sitting at the same press conference table, didn’t accept that comment.
“I have something to say,” she said. “We have never played before. I think they are a good team. Despite where we’re from, they fought hard and we did. I want to congratulate them, I don’t want this to be a war between us. I appreciate and respect them as players.”
The Georgia team did gain one advantage from their Brazilian heritage: a cheering section. About a dozen Brazilian fans clad in green-and-gold, some in fright wigs, chanted “Geor-gia! Georgia!”
Written by ATR Staff in BeijingFor general comments or questions, click here
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