VolleyBar SPECIAL : Saturday August 22, 2026

On this day..
Amarcord, Chaumont, Jastrzębie Barkom, Russia, friendly games and World Championship U17.

As we already told you yesterday, there will be no break this weekend either! It won’t always be like this, so don’t get too used to it! 😉

On this day, August 22, 2008, USA reach the Olympic final in Beijing.
The United States booked their place in the men’s Olympic volleyball final at Beijing 2008 after an incredible five-set battle against Russia. The Americans won 3–2 (25:22, 25:21, 25:27, 22:25, 15:13), remaining unbeaten in the tournament and securing their first Olympic medal in men’s volleyball since 1992. Two days later, they would face Brazil for the gold medal.

August 22, 2008 was also a golden day for the United States in beach volleyball. Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser defeated Brazil’s Márcio Araújo and Fábio Luiz 2–1 (23:21, 17:21, 15:4) in the men’s Olympic final in Beijing, becoming Olympic champions. Brazil completed the podium with Ricardo and Emanuel taking bronze.

More recently, exactly one year ago, the 2025 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championship officially got underway in Thailand. The opening day featured victories for Argentina, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil, Italy and the United States, among others. The hosts Thailand also began their home World Championship with a 3–1 victory over Egypt, in front of their home crowd in Bangkok.

Among the volleyball players born on this day is Michał Ruciak, the Polish outside hitter who represented his country at the 2012 Olympic Games and won major international honours with Poland, including the 2009 European Championship and the 2012 World League. Sonja Simanić, the former Serbian outside hitter, was also born on August 22, 1983.

In France, Chaumont began their preseason yesterday at Palestra with just four professional players. Five contracted players from the club’s academy were also involved, alongside several other young players.
For both the club’s management and coaching staff, there is a strong desire to move forward after last season’s 12th-place finish and a complete overhaul of the squad.
Twelve of the 13 players from last season, in fact, have left.

“We have five contracted academy players: Eliott Brunet, who has been called up to France’s U19 national team, Cyprien Leroux, Malik Diouf, Elyas Malbrun, who came through the CVB system, and Ukrainian player Ruslan Chervatiuk,” said Jiri Cerha, the club’s manager and director of the academy.

The group was completed by players who competed in Nationale 3 last season: Nathan Guérin, Alix Chrétiennot, Paul Gast and Noah Lesbats.

Only four of the club’s ten professional players — Frenchman Thomas Helfer, Brazilians Hiago Crins and Joao Franck, and American A. J. Lewis — were present and the others will join their teammates later because currently involved with their national teams.

“Opposite Veikka Lundqvist is with the Finnish national team, as is Israeli outside hitter Shay Liberman, for the European Championship. Our setter Thomas Gill is preparing for the Mediterranean Games. Another outside hitter, Jacob Pasteur, and libero Kyle Dagostino are at the Pan American Championships, while Joris Seddik is with the French national team in Cannes,” Cerha added.

And Marcelo Fronckowiak, head coach of Chaumont, will not arrive before the end of September, as he is currently working with the Brazilian national team as an assistant coach as they prepare for the South American Championship.
In his absence, assistant coach Iban Perez and Lucas Porcher are leading the training sessions.

Chaumont’s first official match of the season is scheduled for October 17 away against Plessis-Robinson. Until then, the team has almost two months of preparation ahead of it.

Chaumont’s preseason schedule:
September 11: Chaumont – Chalon (Ligue B), Palestra
September 15: Chaumont – Nancy (Ligue B), Palestra
September 19: Chaumont – Reims (Ligue B), Palestra
September 25: Plessis-Robinson – Chaumont
September 26: Nancy (Ligue B) – Chaumont
October 3–4: Chaumont tournament, featuring Paris and Maaseik (Belgium)
October 10: Friedrichshafen (Germany) – Chaumont

Meanwhile, in Poland, Polish international Bartosz Firszt is joining Jastrzębie Barkom, where he will strengthen the team as an outside hitter.
He arrives from PGE Projekt Warszawa and will fight for points in Jastrzębski’s colours from the beginning of the new season.
Also libero Kamil Szymura joins the club from PGE GiEK Skra Bełchatów, where he played last season.

Russia National Team have begun their preparations with a small home tournament featuring Iran, Cuba, Belarus and Russia.
In their opening match, Russia defeated Iran 3–1 (25:16, 23:25, 25:20, 25:22), while France defeated Belgium 4–0 in sets, including a bonus set, in a friendly match (25:22, 25:23, 25:21, 25:23).
Ukraine defeated Finland in another friendly match as part of their preparations for the European Championship, claiming a 3–1 victory over the two-time European Golden League champions.
Ukraine made a confident start, winning the first three sets 25–22, 25–23 and 25–19. The coaching staff then completely changed the lineup for the fourth set, allowing Finland to respond with a 25–19 win.
Ukraine outside hitter Oleh Plotnytskyi was the top scorer of the match despite he played only the first three sets and recording 14 points.
Maxim Tonkonoh also made an important contribution with 12 points, while middle blocker Yurii Semeniuk added 11.
Ukraine therefore ended their series of friendly matches against Finland with a victory. The teams had previously played two separate three-set games, with Finland winning both: 3–0 and 2–1.

Cuba fell 0-3 (14:25, 24:26, 13:25) to Romania at the Boys’ U17 World Championship in Qatar in Pool B, while Tunisia (1–1) secured their first win after defeating Venezuela (1–1) in four sets, 25:22, 22:25, 25:16, 25:23 in Pool A.
In Pool C Brazil (2-0) secured their second win after defeating Poland (1-1) in a five-set thriller: 25:12, 23:25, 25:17, 23:25, 16:14.
In Pool E, Chinese Taipei won a marathon against Algeria 3-2 (20:25, 22:25, 25:22, 25:23 15:12) after trailing 0-2 while, in Pool D, Egypt down Türkyie with the same result, 3-2 (17:25, 25:22, 26:24, 20:25, 15:12).