Italy's next big task

The 2022 Volleyball Nations League champions, Italy, just got Paola Egonu back in the squad at the European Championship. But in light of the superstar opposite's absence for the Olympic Qualifier, this becomes a pivotal moment where the fate of the team hangs in the balance.

Italy had a busy summer in 2023, starting with the VNL where they finished sixth overall and then a couple of weeks later at Euro Volley where they tried to defend their title. The Italians reached the final four of the tournament but did not succeed in overcoming rivals Türkiye and the Netherlands, respectively, to bring home a medal.

In a couple of days, their next task is to book a ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games through the Volleyball Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Lodz, Poland from September 16 to 24.

• Watch all the matches of the Volleyball Olympic Qualifying Tournament on VBTV

Egonu, was Italy’s driving force on offense. And the tale of their recent successes cannot be told without her off-the chart performances.

Let's take a look at this timeline and track down the ebb and flow of Egonu's journey with Team Italy.

At the forefront of offense

The superstar opposite is one of the modern scoring greats in women’s volleyball. And her scoring ability is what gave her team many opportunities to win medals and trophies throughout the years. And as proof of her greatness, she earned the nod of her predecessors who have established Italy’s powerhouse status in women’s volleyball.

Breaking through the senior national team

As a junior world champion, it took little time for Egonu to transition into a full-fledged scoring superstar when she joined the senior national team. She not only became a scoring leader but a driving force that encouraged her teammates to fight hard against the world’s best teams. She proved her worth becoming a world silver medalist in 2018.

Big moments at her second Olympic Games

After her first Olympic appearance in Rio, she became one of the most sought-after personalities at Tokyo 2020, who led Italy to its sixth straight appearance. Her moment became more special as she was chosen to be one of the bearers of the Olympic flag in the Opening Ceremony.

“I will parade for every athlete on this planet,” she said.

Remarkable achievements interrupted

Egonu has not won any Olympic medal yet, but the following year after Tokyo 2020 became her banner year, as she led Italy to its first Volleyball Nations League title win. With that title victory was a reward for her performance throughout the tournament, clutching MVP honors.

She also had dealt with some serious drama in her next tournament. At the 2022 World Championship, Italy’s bronze medal celebration was overshadowed by a racist abuse on the Italian superstar. Amidst the wave of solidarity and support for her on social media, the young athlete decided to take a break from the sport.

Wherever she goes, Egonu will always be Egonu

After her productive stint at Imoco Volley Conegliano, Egonu transferred to another big club – VakifBank Istanbul, where she played with other stars Gabi Guimaraes, Chiaka Ogbogu and Zehra Gunes. At the CEV Champions League, Egonu’s VakifBank is pitted against Tijana Boskovic’s Eczacibasi Dynavit. The Italian delivered a show-stopping 40-point performance to win the four-set Superfinals matchup in Turin.

The next big task

The big question now is this: With or without Egonu, will Italy make? Find out when Italy compete in Pool C of the Volleyball Olympic Qualifying Tournament against hosts Poland, United States, Germany, Thailand, Colombia, Korea and Slovenia.

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