Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 6, 2016 - Russia's #8 seed, Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Konstantin Semenov take on Poland's #17 seed, Grzegorz Fijalek/Mariusz Prudel in pool E action during the night session on day two. The Poles will be trying to improve on a 5th-place finish in London (2012) while Konstantin and his new partner will be trying to advance further than his 9th in London.
Head to Head
The two teams have split their two meetings in FIVB World Tour competition, with both meetings in 2014. The Russians won the first match for the gold medal at the Moscow Grand Slam in June, 23-21 and 21-17 in 38 minutes. Six days later, the Poles got their revenge in a round of 24 match, winnings 21-19 and 21-14 in 35 minutes. The two teams did play in the semi-finals of the European (CEV) Continental Championships in June of this year, with Krasilnikov/Semenov winning 21-17 and 21-17 in 36 minutes.
Historically the #8 seed and the #17 seed have split their previous four matches in the Olympic Games, all in the first round. The #8 seed won 15-6 in Sydney (2000) and 19-21, 22-20, and 15-7 in 62 minutes in Beijing (2008), while the #17 pulled the upset in Athens (2004), 21-16 and 21-14 in 39 minutes, and 19-21, 23-21, and 15-9 in London (2012) in the closest match.
Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Konstantin Semenov, Russia, Seed #8, Pool E, Qualified 9th with 5,230 Points in the 2015-16 Olympic qualification period
• Viacheslav: April 28, 1991 (25y3m9d), 196 cm (6'5"), 73 kg (162 lbs.), Hometown Gelengzik, 34th FIVB World Tour event, one gold medal, $176,387 career winnings
• Konstantin: June 9, 1989 (27y1m28d), 210 cm (6'11"), 100 kg (222 lbs.), Hometown Tokmak, Kyrgyzstan, 74th FIVB World Tour event, two gold medals, $269,362 career winnings (ranks 77th)
• Viacheslav and Konstantin have been playing together since 2013. They are playing in their 32nd FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together, one gold medal, $340,775 career winnings (ranks 52nd).
• Viacheslav has played in nine FIVB World Tour final fours with one gold, three silver, two bronze medals and three 4th place finishes.
• Konstantin has played in 10 FIVB World Tour final fours with two gold, three silver, two bronze medals and three 4th place finishes.
• Viacheslav and Konstantin have played in five Final Fours in 2015-2016 (4th Yokohama Grand Slam 2015, 4th Sochi Open 2015, 4th Xiamen Open 2016, Silver Sochi Open 2016, Bronze Hamburg Major 2016).
• Konstantin finished 9th in the Olympic Games with Serguey Prokopyev in 2012 (London).
• Viacheslav and Konstantin finished 9th in the FIVB World Championships in 2015 (The Hague).
• Konstantin finished 9th in the FIVB World Championships in 2011 (Rome) and 9th in 2013 (Stare Jablonki), both with Yaroslav Koshkarev.
• Viacheslav and Konstantin are currently ranked 21st in FIVB World Tour points in 2016 with 3,180 points and 18th in winnings with $82,700.
• Viacheslav and Konstantin have a career 101-56 (64.3%) match record in FIVB World Tour Events and a 64-35 (64.6%) record in the 2015-16 Olympic qualification period.
• Viacheslav and Konstantin won the silver medal at the European (CEV) Continental Championships in 2016 (Biel, Switzerland).
• Yaroslav and Konstantin Semenov won one gold medal on the CEV Continental Tour in 2013.
Grzegorz Fijalek/Mariusz Prudel, Poland, Seed #17, Pool E, Qualified 14th with 4,920 Points in the 2015-16 Olympic qualification period
• Grzegorz: May 11, 1987 (29y2m26d), 186 cm (6'1"), 81 kg (180 lbs.), Hometown Wadowice, 84th FIVB World Tour event, one gold medal, $458,650 career winnings (ranks 40th)
• Mariusz: January 21, 1986 (30y6m16d), 191 cm (6'3"), 83 kg (184 lbs.), Hometown Rybnik, 90th FIVB World Tour event, one gold medal, $462,525 career winnings (ranks 39th)
• Grzegorz and Mariusz have been playing together since 2008. They are playing in their 84th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together (ranks 15th), one gold medal, $917,300 career winnings (ranks 6th). They have played more FIVB World Tour events together than any other men's team participating in the Rio Olympics.
• Grzegorz has played in 16 FIVB World Tour final fours with one gold, four silver, five bronze medals and six 4th place finishes.
• Mariusz has played in 16 FIVB World Tour final fours with one gold, four silver, five bronze medals and six 4th place finishes.
• Grzegorz and Mariusz have played in three Final Fours in 2015-2016 (Bronze Stavanger Major 2015, 4th Rio de Janeiro Grand Slam 2016, Bronze Antalya Open 2016).
• Grzegorz and Mariusz finished 5th in the Olympic Games in 2012 (London).
• Grzegorz and Mariusz finished 5th in the FIVB World Championships in 2011 (Rome), 17th in 2013 (Stare Jablonki) and 17th in 2015 (The Hague).
• Grzegorz and Mariusz are currently ranked 11th in FIVB World Tour points in 2016 with 4,080 points and 13th in winnings with $102,750.
• Grzegorz and Mariusz have a career 260-161 (61.8%) match record in FIVB World Tour Events and a 64-40 (61.5%) record in the 2015-16 Olympic qualification period.
• Grzegorz and Mariusz won bronze medals at the European (CEV) Continental Championships in 2013 (Klagenfurt, Austria) and 2016 (Biel, Switzerland).
• Grzegorz won the bronze medal at the U19 World Championships with Michal Matyja in 2005 (Saint Quay Portrieux, France).
• Mariusz was named the FIVB World Tour Most Improved Player in 2011.