Another gold for Martins Plavins
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This is Plavins' third win at the Open Beach Volleyball Cup of Russia |
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Zelenogradsk, Russia, August 27, 2012 – Latvian Martins Plavins, playing with Russian Yuri Bogatov, has followed up his Olympic bronze and gold at Mazury Orlen with another gold at the Open Beach Volleyball Cup of Russia, which is also the final tournament of the Eastern European Volleyball Zonal Association (EEVZA) tour.
For the third time in a row the major trophy on the women’s side was won by the players from VC "Obninsk": Anna Vozakova and Ekaterina Khomyakova.
The women's final was intense. Vozakova and Khomyakova met the international duo of Russian Evgenia Ukolova and Italian Giulia Momoli. Vozakova and Khomyakova had passed the semifinals quite easily, beating Moscow's Ushkova and Ryabova, while Ukolova and Momoli were one step from defeat against 2006 European champions Alexandra Moiseeva and Ekaterina Syrtseva. The more experienced Ukolova and Momoli won five balls in a row to come back from a 10-13 deficit in the third set.
In the final both teams gave a great show. The first set was easily won by the women from Obninsk, but second went to Ukolova and Momoli. The capacity crowd in Zelenogradsk cheered both pairs, until Vozakova and Khomyakova finally came out on top. Third place was won by Moiseeva and Syrtseva.
The men's final was much more clear-cut. As expected, the gold medal match was played between the two top-seeded teams at the event – the representatives of VC "Vityaz", Anapa Sergei Prokopiev and Konstantin Semenov, and international duo Martins Plavins and Yury Bogatov. The real fight was only in the first set, which was taken by Plavins/Bogatov. In the second Prokopiev and Semenov completely fell apart and simply ceded the game at 7-21. Third place in the men's tournament went to representatives of VTSMO Dmitry Barsouk and Maxim Khudyakov.
After the awarding ceremony, Plavins showed his Olympic bronze medal to the crowd, allowing fans to take photos with the treasured trophy.
“I'm glad to get another success in Russia,” said Plavins. “The last month has turned out to be very successful for me, it's great. Each medal is important, though, of course, the Olympic bronze is still the main thing in my career. Thanks to everyone who had a hand in my arrival here. Now we'll be set for the finals of the Russian championship, and we’ll try to get one more gold!”
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