Ankara,
Turkey,
August 23, 2013 – 19-year-old Metin Toy is the opposite of the Turkish national
team at the FIVB Volleyball Men's U21 World Championship, organised by his
country. He is also a member of the
senior men’s national team of Turkey.
Metin’s life was changed when he moved from his home
city of Kutahya to Istanbul at the age of 11 and went to watch a volleyball game at Burhan Felek Hall. He was just a spectator then, but
on that day he was approached by coach Isa Tekler who asked him if he would
like to play volleyball.
“My answer was that volleyball is a girls’ game,” he remembers
laughing. “However I really wanted to try because there was something about
volleyball that was pulling me towards it. So I accepted the offer and started to train. It was love at first sight.”
He started playing volleyball in Fenerbahce’s youth team
and then stayed on at the Istanbul
powerhouse as a professional. Metin has a younger brother, Huseyin Baykal,
who also played volleyball in Fenerbahce last year. “It was a great pleasure
and a very good memory to play in the same team with my brother,” Metin says. However,
the two siblings will have to go their separate ways as Huseyin will play for Istanbul
Buyuksehir Belediyesi next season.
Metin is extremely proud that his country is hosting
the U21 World Championship. “I am very
happy for being a part of this competition and also for being the host of such
a prestigious event,” Metin says. ”I hope we will make it to the final.”
2013 Men’s U21 World Championship page
2013 Men’s
U21 World Championship Live Scorebox
2013 Men’s
U21 World Championship Schedule
FIVB World
Rankings
Twitter - @FIVB
Volleyball, @FIVBMensU21
Facebook: FIVB -
International Volleyball Federation
YouTube: FIVB Video