Nummerdor and Varenhorst hit top form to overcome World Champs

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Reinder Nummerdor and Christiaan Varenhorst recovered from a slow start in the tournament to claim gold at the Moscow Grand Slam. Photo credit: Joerg Mitter.

Last July there was disappointment for Dutch duo Reinder Nummerdor and Christiaan Varenhorst as their hopes of landing a World Championship gold medal on home sand were dashed by Alison Cerutti and Bruno Oscar Schmidt.

But on Sunday there was some revenge as the popular pair from the Netherlands celebrated a superb 2-1 win over the Brazilians in the final of the Moscow Grand Slam.

What was even more remarkable about their feat was the fact the Dutchmen lost two of their first three matches in the Pool Play – scraping through to the first knockout stage by the skin of their teeth!

But after victories over Austrians Doppler/Horst, Fijalek/Prudel of Poland and Spaniards Herrera/Gavira, they set-up a semi-final with fancied second seeds Gibb/Patterson of the USA. They lost the first set in that match but fought back in dramatic style to seal a spot in the final.

Alison and Bruno Schmidt’s passage to the final was much more straightforward: they had not dropped a single set in the tournament enroute to the Sunday’s showpiece.

That statistic when flying out of the window in the first set in the final, however, as Nummerdor/Varenhorst edged a humdinger of an opening set 21-19. Hurt by that, the Brazilians hit back by limiting the Dutch pair to just seven points as they battered their way to level the set score in the second.

But in a gripping final set Alison and Bruno Schmidt led 14-11. Not to be denied the team from Holland rolled up their sleeves and sealed a breathtaking comeback to triumph 17-15.

“It was an incredible comeback,” Nummerdor told FIVB.org. “We were down 14-11 and then we still win.  I couldn't believe it. But we just kept on playing and never gave up. That's just what we did.

“It was a tough tournament, a long tournament. In the end the only thing that matters is winning. It doesn't matter how, it's all about winning. If we win an Olympic medal like this, I don't care how we play. It's just, a win is a win.”

Meanwhile in the men’s bronze medal match there was joy for Poland’s Piotr Kantor and Bartosz Losiak as they secured third place after coming from behind to beat American’s Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson.