Trieste, Italy, October 4, 2014 - Thursday evening in Trieste’s VIP tribune, she attended the perfect performance of the Chinese superstars during the second round of the 2014 FIVB Women’s World Championship. Elisa Togut from Gorizia, the Italian queen of the 2002 World Championship in Berlin 2002 and the most admired and well-known volleyball player of Friuli Venezia Giulia in the last ten years with more than 300 appearances in the Italian team, deservedly received an emotional standing ovation when the speaker announced her name to pay tribute to her career.
"I could manage to come to attend this event – says Elisa – and I must say that in Trieste I saw a top class match”.
What do you think about this apparently unbeatable China? "It’s a very strong team. They have an excellently organized squad, several interesting players and are very strong physically”.
Do you think they are the favorite team for the title? "I don’t know; I see as favorite Brazil, because the South Americans have more quality and phantasy; anyway I believe there will be a hard-fought battle to win the title”.
Do you think that Italy has any chance? "I think that Italy can aim for a podium spot and that would be a great success. But you never know, in a single match everything it’s possible”.
Trieste is, behind Rome, the second venue in terms of number of spectators: did you expect such an extraordinary result? "This result is extremely rewarding for me. I’m happy and proud that the volleyball fans of Friuli Venezia Giulia responded enthusiastically to this great event, that gives prestige to our sport; I hope that in the future my region will be able to host similar events”.