La mottense, coach of Vanuatu, eliminated from Japan: “We’ll try again” In the hotel he met the daughter of John, a legend of rugby: New Zealand eliminated
/ TReVISO
Federica Tonon and the Vanuatu national beach volleyball team say goodbye to the Olympic dream. Japan defeated the Pacific girls in the first round of the Continental Cup, winning both games. The match between Vanuatu 1 and Japan 1 was more balanced, which saw Pata and Toko keep up with Hasegawa and Futami despite only being able to show their game for short periods. In the end Japan closed it at the tie-break (19-21, 21-19, 7-15) exploiting too many mistakes of the girls coached by Federica Tonon. On the other hand, the defeat between the second formations was clearer, where Joe and Lewac lost 2-0 (10-21, 17-21).
The Vanuatu national team, especially in the first match, was unable to find the rhythm of the match. This was one of the biggest unknowns for the girls led by Federica Tonon, who hadn’t played an official match for 14 months, unlike the Japanese who in recent months have been able to test themselves on the national circuit. “Too bad, we made many mistakes. It will enter our luggage for the future, ”said Motta’s coach. In short, the look is already at the next Commonwealth Games and the qualifications for the 2024 Olympics. In any case, the tenacity of the girls from Vanuatu, all the difficulties overcome in travel, quarantines, training in hotels, are part of a story that in Vanuatu they will remember for a long time. An experience that will not be dispersed by the result, but that can become the basis for building a five-circle future.
Yesterday in Thailand there was another Treviso who was playing for the Olympic qualification, but who had to console herself with her friend Federica Tonon. New Zealand 2 lined up Francesca Kirwan, daughter of the Benetton rugby champion, who grew up in Treviso (she played in A1 with Spes Conegliano). Even for her, however, the disappointment arrived yesterday, with New Zealand eliminated by Australia in the golden match. The friendship between Federica Tonon and Francesca Kirwan was not born in Treviso, or on the Italian beaches, but in Australia, when Motta’s coach coached the men’s beach volleyball team in Tuvalu, another Pacific archipelago. Federica was on the beach preparing the pitch for training, and a girl approached her. He understood that he had an Italian in front of her because she wore brands widely used in our country by beach players. Federica thought she wanted to play, and indeed she was. But he did not know that he was facing an adopted Treviso woman, who would later become part of the New Zealand beach volleyball team. From there a friendship was born, which led them to cross destinies even in the Olympic qualifiers in Thailand. The tournament draw had given the possibility of a perfect ending. There wasn’t. But sport is capable of giving great stories even when defeats are involved. –