European champions Poland stormed into the Olympic men’s volleyball final 2024 with an extraordinary five-set win over the United States on Wednesday, giving themselves a chance to win their first gold medal since 1976. Wilfredo Leon was Poland’s hero, scoring 26 points as the European side weathered an American comeback midway through the match to win 25-23, 25-27, 14-25, 25-23, 15-13.
Poland, who had fallen in the quarter-final stage at every Games since 2004, will now face either Italy or defending champions France in the gold medal match Paris 2024.
“We were ready for a long game today. We knew they would fight hard, and they did. Unfortunately for them, we won this match, so I’m really happy and excited,” Leon said. “You can imagine how hard I was fighting to be in this tournament and then to reach the final. Now we are in the final. This game is done, so we need to focus on the final match.”
“Believe me, we will make a big step in history. On my part, I will make a big step in history too, so I cannot wait,” Leon added.
Leon set the tone with a kill on the first point of the match. A long, intense rally won by the U.S. midway through the opening set forced both teams to take a short breather as the crowd roared. Poland took the first set despite the Americans saving three set points. The second set was neck-and-neck, ending 25-27 in favor of the U.S.
The Americans dominated the third set, keeping the ball alive with eight digs, while Poland, struggling with injuries, failed to make a single block. Poland briefly led in the fourth set, but the U.S. surged ahead. Coach Nikola Grbic’s timeout and pep talk worked wonders as Leon pulled Poland ahead with a kill and an ace. Tomasz Fornal forced a deciding set, putting their Olympic dream back on track.
The final set saw Poland lift their spirits and capitalize on U.S. errors. They advanced on their fourth match point when an attempted block off Leon’s attack went long.
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