History of Women’s Volleyball in the Olympic Games

Before 1957, the sport of volleyball was a non-Olympic sport. However, the sport actively developed and quickly gained the popularity. So, volleyball was recognized as an Olympic sport during the IOC session that took place in Sofia on September 24 in 1957. Actually, this date played a major role in the history of volleyball in the Olympic Games.

Indoor volleyball was introduced to Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964. Beach volleyball was introduced to Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996. It is worth noting that both men’s and women’s volleyball teams participated in the Olympic Games. Today, we will highlight the most important moments which took place in the history of women’s indoor as well beach volleyball in the Olympic Games.

History of Women’s Indoor Volleyball in the Olympic Games

If we analyze the history of women’s indoor volleyball in the Olympic Games carefully we will see that Soviet Union has 4 gold medals and 2 silver medals; Cuba has 3 gold medals and 1 bronze medal; Japan has 2 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals; China has 2 gold medals, 1 silver medal and 2 bronze medals; Brazil has 2 gold medals and 2 bronze medals; United States has 3 silver medals and 1 bronze medal; Russia has 2 silver medals; East Germany has 1 silver medal; Peru has 1 silver medal; Poland has 2 bronze medals; Bulgaria has 1 bronze medal; North Korea has 1 bronze medal and South Korea has 1 bronze medal. The statistical data shows that Cuba, Japan, China and Brazil demonstrated the best results in the Olympic tournaments. Now, it is time to analyze the history of women’s volleyball in the Olympic Games.

As it was mentioned earlier, the first Summer Olympic Games with volleyball took place in Tokyo in 1964. Japan defeated the USSR in the final match. Poland defeated Romania in the golden medal match and took the third place.

The next Olympic Games took place in Mexico City in 1968. Japan competed with the USSR in the final match again. Poland competed against Peru in the gold medal match. However, the USSR defeated Japan and received the gold medal this time. Poland won the bronze medal for the second time in the history of women’s indoor volleyball in the Olympic Games.

USSR and Japan were the finalists of the Olympic Games which took place in Munich in 1972. North Korea and South Korea played in the bronze medal match.  For the second time in the history of women’s indoor volleyball, USSR won the gold medal. Japan and North Korea received the silver and bronze medals respectively.

Competition between Japan and Soviet Union continued during the Olympic Games in Montreal in 1976. However, this time Japan was the winner. Soviet Union took the second place. South Korea beat Hungary and won the bronze medal.

Soviet Union defeated East Germany in the final match in the Olympic Games that took place in Moscow in 1980. Bulgaria beat Hungary in the bronze medal match and became the bronze medalist.

The next Olympic Games took place in Los Angeles in 1984. China and USA played in the final match. China won the match and received the gold medal for the first time in the history. USA and Japan took the second and third places. Japan defeated Peru and received the bronze medal.

USSR returned its leadership in the women’s indoor volleyball by defeating Peru in the final match. So, USSR received the gold medal in the Olympic Games which took place in Seoul in 1988. China defeated Japan in the bronze medal match and took the third place.

The Olympic Games took place in Barcelona in 1992. Cuba and USSR competed with each other in the final match. The United States competed against Brazil in the bronze medal match. Cuba, USSR and USA won the gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.

Cuba also won the women’s tournament by beating China in the final match during the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996. So, it was the second time in the history of women’s volleyball when Cuba won the gold medal in the Olympic Games. Brazil defeated Russia in the bronze medal match and became the bronze medalist in these Olympic Games.

Cuba beat Russia in the final match and won the record third gold medal in women’s Olympic volleyball in Sydney in 2000. Brazil met with the United States in the bronze medal match and took the third place in these Olympic Games.

However, Cuba lost its leadership and didn’t win the gold medal in the Olympic Games which took place in Athens in 2004. Cuba competed against Brazil in the bronze medal match in these Olympic Games. Cuba won the match and received the bronze medal. China beat Russia in the final match and received the gold medal. Russia’s women received the silver medal.

Brazil defeated the United States in the final match in the Olympic Games Beijing 2008. China and Cuba played in the bronze medal match. Chinese national women’s volleyball team received the bronze medal.

The same situation repeated in the Olympic Games which took place London 2012. This time Brazil and the United States met in the final match once again. Brazil became the winner by beating the United States 3-1. Japan took the third place by defeating South Korea in the bronze medal match.

History of Women’s Beach Volleyball in the Olympic Games

According to the statistical data, women’s beach volleyball teams from such countries as the United States, Australia, Brazil as well as China demonstrated the best results in the Olympic Games. During the history of women’s beach volleyball in the Olympic Games United Stated won 3 gold medals, 1 silver medal and 1 bronze medal; Australia won 1 gold medal and 1 bronze medal; Brazil won 1 gold medal, 3 silver medals and 2 bronze medals; China won 1 silver medal and 1 bronze medal.

The history of women’s beach volleyball in the Olympic Games began in 1996. This year beach volleyball was introduced to the Olympic Games in Atlanta. Jackie Silva and Sandra Pires from Brazil competed against Mônica Rodrigues and Adriana Samuel from Brazil in the final match. As a result, Jackie Silva and Sandra Pires from Brazil won the final match and received the gold medal. Mônica Rodrigues and Adriana Samuel from Brazil received silver medal. Natalie Cook and Kerri-Ann Pottharst from Australia defeated Barbra Fontana and Linda Hanley from the United States in the bronze medal match and took the third place in the Olympic Games.

Natalie Cook and Kerri-Ann Pottharst from Australia demonstrated better women beach results in the Olympic Games Sydney 2000. This legendary US women’s beach volleyball team defeated Adriana Behar and Shelda from Brazil in the final match and received the gold medal. Sandra Pires and Adriana Samuel from Brazil defeated Yukiko Takahashi and Mika Teru Saiki from Japan and received the bronze medal.

The US women’s beach volleyball team, (that consisted of Kerri Walsh and Misty May), won the gold medal in the Olympic Games Athens 2004. Adriana Behar and Shelda from Brazil and Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs from the United States won silver and bronze medals respectively.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh from the United States won the final match and received the gold medal in Olympics Games Beijing 2008. Jia Tian and Jie Wang from China received the silver medal. Zhang Xi and Xue Chen from China defeated Renata Ribeiro and Talita Antunes from Brazil in the bronze medal match and received the bronze medal in the Olympic Games.

The United States demonstrated excellent results in the Olympic Games London 2012 as well. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh from the United States defeated Jennifer Kessy and April Ross from China in the final match. Larissa França and Juliana Felisberta Da Silva from Brazil won the bronze medal.