European Gold for Floor and Nigella!

We were aiming for the win, but when it actually happens, it's pretty unbelievable

says an excited Floor.

After winning the opening set and seeing the Latvian team stage a comeback in the second, Floor and Nigella ultimately came out on top in the decisive third set, winning 18-16.

Not at our best

Things did not go as planned during the group stage. "You know you'll be facing slightly weaker opponents there, but you still want to have your own game in order," Nigella explains. “That didn't quite happen. Fortunately, we regained our form during the knockout phase, which allowed us to play better. Even so, I still don't think we showed our very best volleyball.”

Sacrifices

The European Championship took place exactly during the start of the academic year, meaning both athletes missed a significant part of it. Nigella says: "At THUAS, they really support us in combining elite sports and studying, but sometimes you still have to make sacrifices. I have a mandatory class, so I need to arrange that with the Examination Board."

Floor's degree programme includes group assignments, and she was not always able to participate. Her programme allowed her to complete these assignments independently at a later stage.

The future

Reaching the top is one thing, but staying there is another. Fortunately, neither athlete lacks ambition. Floor explains: “Next year there's a World Championship that we'd love to compete in. Beyond that, I hope to keep doing this for as long as possible and play in as many tournaments as I can.”