Argentina turn frustration into happiness

The ability to quickly learn from frustrating experiences and to make use of new lessons can strongly impact the success of a volleyball team in a tournament. And Argentina men’s national team have shown they can adapt rapidly at the Tokyo Olympics.

After being on the wrong end of a nail-biting, five-set battle against Brazil in their second match at the Ariake Arena, the South Americans built from that experience to be on the winning side of a tie-breaker win against France on Wednesday.

Veteran outside hitter Facundo Conte, who scored 16 points against the Europeans, highlighted the mental work the team had done between the matches to be ready to produce a different outcome on Wednesday.

“We lost a once-in-a-lifetime chance against Brazil and it was important to transform that loss into a big statement today,” he said. “After Brazil, I couldn't sleep. It was five in the morning and I kept thinking, 'how did we lose when we played better than them'? Today the main word for us is happiness. Emotionally and mentally, we are back.”

Opposite Bruno Lima, who added 18 points and is currently the top scorer of the Tokyo Olympics with 62 points, credited the team’s success for its ability to remain calm and focused in the pivotal moments of the match.

“We learned lessons from the Brazil match, he explained. “In the big points against France we were able to relax. In the key points today, we managed the situation calmly.”

The victory, the first for Argentina in Tokyo after losses to the Russian Olympic Committee and Brazil, has handed the South Americans a new lease of life in the tournament. With matches against Tunisia and the United States yet to be played, and continuous improvement, the team can still secure a spot in the quarterfinals.

Quick links:
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - Volleyball
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - Volleyball - Match schedule
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