Facts and figures around Pool C of #EuroVolleyW

All Pool C matches will take place at Baku’s National Gymnastics Arena. Situated north-east of the city centre, the venue was built for the inaugural European Games in 2015 and was used again for competition at the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games. It is a stone’s throw from the Olympic Stadium and can hold up to 9,000 people. Once pool play is over, it will hosts all of the knockout matches including the two medal matches on October 1, 2017.

Russia

With 19 gold medals from 29 editions of the women’s European Championship, Russia are comfortably the most successful team in the history of the competition and have won the last two tournaments. Six golds have been won since the dissolution of Soviet Union and Russia are looking to win three EuroVolley tournaments in a row for the second time, having been triple winners from 1997-2001. They have been so successful that they have only failed to make the podium three times in the competition’s history, whether competing as Russia or Soviet Union. Earlier this year they finished ninth in World Grand Prix Group 1 and qualified for Azerbaijan/Georgia by winning EuroVolley two years ago, beating the Netherlands in the gold medal match.

Turkey

Turkey have twice reached the EuroVolley podium and came closest to gold in 2003 when they had to settle for silver after losing to Poland in Ankara, when they hosted the tournament. Their other podium appearance was in 2011 when they secured bronze by toppling Italy in five sets. Most recently they came 4th in 2015 after losing to Serbia in the bronze medal match. They finished 11th at the 2017 World Grand Prix after competing in Group 1 and they also have experience of success in Azerbaijan. Turkey won gold at the inaugural European Games in Baku, two years ago, across the city at the iconic Crystal Hall on the coast of the Caspian Sea.

Bulgaria

You have to go back to 1981 for Bulgaria’s solitary EuroVolley gold medal when they finished top of the pile ahead of Soviet Union when the tournament was a round-robin format. Bulgaria also have two bronze medals to their name having finished third in both 1979 and more recently in 2001, when they hosted the finals and beat Ukraine in the bronze medal match. Two years ago, the ‘Lionesses’ had a European Championship to forget after losing all three of their pool matches in Rotterdam. A couple of months back they were fifth in World Grand Prix Group 2.

Ukraine

Ukraine were one of the final qualifiers for EuroVolley after beating Spain in the third round of qualifying last October. Following the dissolution of Soviet Union, Ukraine took bronze in their first-ever competition in 1993 by beating Italy in four sets and the result remains their best performance to date. Their only recent appearance at the European Championship came at the 2011 edition when they ended 15th and it remains Ukraine’s only qualification since 2003 when they finished 9th. In August, they had an FIVB ranking of 35. Earlier this summer, Ukraine won the 2017 edition of the European League in their first-ever participation in this competition.