Volleyball at the Olympics
Volleyball has traveled a long way from its vintage days to reach its present glory in the Olympics game. Since its introduction in the 1960s, many changes and trends have affected the game.
Volleyball was added as a medal sport back in the Tokyo Games in 1964. Made for both men and women, the sport’s popularity led to official rules and regulations being developed for it – which eventually made it an Olympic adoption. When you think that the sport was only considered a demonstration sport back at the 1924 Games in Paris, you know that a lot has changed now, especially if you consider the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Volleyball is now an Olympic and Paralympic sport, played indoors, on the beach or even while sitting.
Let’s explore the interesting history of volleyball in the Olympics so that you know what makes it so special.
The Early Years
Volleyball made its first appearance in the Olympics in 1924 in Paris as a demonstration match. However, it took the game 40 years to be included officially in the mega sports event.
The first recognized volleyball match was held in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. The Soviet Union won the men’s medal while Japan picked up the cup for the women’s title.
Becoming a staple event in the ’70s
The format of volleyball went through a series of changes to make it more competitive while fair. The round-robin format was dropped, and a new calculation for wins was determined.
Under the new rules, the participating teams were divided into two groups. The winning four teams then played the quarter and semi-finals, before competing for the gold.
The new format proved effective and was integrated into the successive Olympics. In 1980, volleyball was also included in the Paralympics program. Teams competed against each other both in sitting and standing categories.
Let’s Volley on the Beach
The 1980s saw new stars of volleyball being born who are still ruling the game today. Iran became a top team in Paralympics volleyball since they started playing in 1988. They have appeared in all finals and won the gold six times, making them an unbeaten champion of the game.
The 1990s was an exciting time as beach volleyball was introduced in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Now, teams participated in both indoor and beach volleyball that gave a country the chance to win two golds in the same event.
USA, Brazil, and Cuba were the top performers to hold the reign of volleyball in the 90s.
New millennium – Today
Volleyball continued to create stories of its own during the 2000s and became an integral part of the Olympics and the Paralympics.
Women’s beach volleyball also saw top performances from players like Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings. The two stars won gold three times between 2004 and 2012, creating an unmatched record.
Volleyball is a popular category in the Olympics and many teams eye to win the gold. The game has also got a large following who are eager for more action all year round.
