Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 12, 2016 - Volleyball athletes from around the world flocked to the Volleyball House today, proving the beach volleyball arena isn’t the only place to be on Rio’s iconic Copacabana Beach.
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Brazil’s Olympic volleyball champions from Barcelona in 1992 Marcelo Negrao and Paulao were reunited at the Volleyball House and made the most of the venue’s entertainment, including the Virtual Reality room.
Marcelo and Paulao formed part of the great Brazilian volleyball team from the 1990s and rolled back the years at the Volleyball House where they were joined by compatriot Márcio Araújo as well as today’s current stars.
Italy’s Daniele Lupo also took time out from training to visit the Volleyball House which has rapidly earned its reputation as a hub for the global volleyball family at Rio 2016.
The Volleyball House aims to provide an entertaining and immersive experience for its guests with a range of different areas including transmission rooms broadcasting the latest matches, something Argentine duo Ana Gallay and Georgina Klug were enjoying on Friday.
The pair also took to our Copa Courts, showing the locals a trick or two.
Ana Richa made a name for herself representing the Brazilian national volleyball team in the 1980s but today she can be found teaching Brazil’s future volleyball stars at Botafogo Volleyball Club where she is the manager. And today, the House welcomed the Botafogo team who happily cheered as they watched the Larissa/Talita qualify for the quarterfinals.
CSV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup champion Venezuela’s Norisbeth Agudo visited the House, fresh from competing in her maiden Olympics. Despite not earning a win on the court she was still all smiles and continued to enjoy her Rio experience.
Former France middle blocker Victoria Ravva was welcomed to the Volleyball House as part of the French National Olympic Committee. The 40-year-old is part of the Athlete’s Commission for the Paris 2024 bid and will be hoping to welcome the Olympics in eight years’ time.
LA 2024 chief executive Gene Sykes also stopped by joined by fellow delegate Doug Arnot as they took in the atmosphere the venue had to offer.
The city of Rio is also taking a keen interest in the buzz the House is creating, with Marylis Fantone and Camilla Lima from the Commercial Association of Rio de Janeiro given a tour of the House as they look to review the best hospitality houses in the city during the Olympics.
