France and Poland to meet in Olympic final

France and Poland came through their semi-finals in contrasting styles to reach the final of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Both nations have won Olympic gold in the past, but while France are the reigning Olympic champions, having won for the first time in Tokyo, Poland will be looking to regain a title they last won all the way back in 1976.

Poland are the top-ranked team in men’s volleyball and took on USA, the bronze medallists from Rio 2016, for a place in the final. Poland took a close opening set 25-23 but USA battled back to take the next two 25-27 and 14-25 to sit one set away from the gold medal match. Poland won a tense fourth set 25-23 and clinched the deciding fifth set 15-13 to reach their second-ever Olympic final.

Outside hitter Wilfredo Leon led the way for Poland with a match-high 26 points, assisted by middle blocker Norbert Huber’s 15 and outside hitter Tomasz Fornal with 13. For USA, opposite Matt Anderson produced 24 points, backed up by outside hitter Aaron Russell’s 20 points.

In the second semi-final, France took on an Italy side yet to taste defeat in the Olympic competition. Backed by a vociferous, 10,000 strong crowd, France wasted little time taking the opening set 25-20. Italy attempted to battle back in the second but couldn’t find a way through as France took a two-set lead 25-21. The third set followed suit once again as France won it 25-21 to seal victory and keep their dreams of retaining their Olympic gold alive.

Outside hitter Trevor Clevenot led the scoring for France with 17 points, and Earvin Ngapeth wasn’t far behind, contributing 15. The Italian scorers struggled to get going, with opposite Yuri Romano the only player who hit double digits as he scored 10.

Not since the USA in 1988 has a team managed to successfully defend the men’s Olympic volleyball title, but the French support during these Games has proven a key factor time and again.

France and Poland meet for a second time in quick succession on a big stage after they faced off in the Volleyball Nations League semi-finals in July, in which the French dashed Polish hopes in their own back yard of Lodz.

The final takes place on Saturday 10 August, while Italy and USA will face off for the bronze medal on Friday 9 August.