Russia: In quest to relive Olympic glory days

Russia (including as Soviet Union and CIS) lead the Olympic women's volleyball medals table - but they have not been on the podium since Athens 2004 (when they lost to China in the final under the leadership of legendary coach Nikolay Karpol in what was his last official Olympic appearance).

And they have not struck gold in over 30 years, since Seoul 1988, when they beat the amazing Peru of that decade in the final. That was the last of their four Olympic gold medals - all won as USSR - since the introduction of volleyball to the Olympic Programme at Tokyo 1964.

In the years since, Russia have added three silver to their tally (from Barcelona 1992 and Sydney 2000 when they lost in both those finals to Cuba, and from Athens 2004).

Russia's latest outing was at the 2021 Volleyball Nations League at Rimini, but the once mighty volleyball powerhouse failed to make it to the medals round, ranking 8th in the competition on an 8-7 record in pool play.

Competing under the name 'Russian Olympic Committee', the record 19-time European champions certainly have their work cut out to get out of pool play where they face defending champions China alongside USA, Italy, Turkey and Argentina.

Stalwart Nataliya Goncharova will be on hand to help Russia push through to the quarterfinals, as will be European Champions Irina Koroleva and Irina Fetisova in the middle. But the team has been struck a blow after Tatyana Kosheleva announced her retirement from the National Team just days prior to the Olympics.

For 32-year-old Goncharova this will be her third Olympic Games, after she competed in London 2012 and Rio 2016 and her vast experience is something that can get Russia out of any tight spot. But the leadership role of Kosheleva, also 32 and a two-time Olympian, will be sorely missed - and surely a headache for the team's Italian coach Sergio Busato.

In fact, because of the absence also of Kseniya Parubets on the outside, Busato has called Kseniya Smirnova to join Russia's Olympic team.

But do keep an eye out for Russia's young and emerging superstar, 17-year-old Arina Fedorovtseva who created waves at the VNL in Rimini and midway through the month-long tournament had already established herself on Russia's starting lineup.

Fedorovtseva was Russia's best scorer and overall the second-best attacker of the VNL on a 46.09% efficiency (159/345) just short of Italy's Sylvia Nwakalor who topped the chart at 46.41%. She was also the overall fifth-best server with .3 aces per set.

The potential is certainly there, but lot remains to be done within the Russian team if they're to rise to the Olympic glory days of the past. And Busato certainly has an unenviable task at the Olympics as he tries to put together the pieces.

Full Olympic roster for Russia, under Italian head coach Sergio Busato:

● Setters
Polina Matveeva, Evgeniya Startseva

● Opposites
Nataliya Goncharova, Anna Lazareva

● Middle blockers
Ekaterina Enina, Irina Koroleva, Irina Fetisova

● Outside hitters
Irina Voronkova, Kseniya Smirnova, Arina Fedorovtseva

● Liberos
Anna Podkopaeva, Dariya Pilipenko