The United World Games International Sports Festival in Vienna is a mini-Olympics attended by approximately 3,000 athletes from 18 countries across Europe and the United States, competing in eight disciplines: volleyball, basketball, football, swimming, tennis, bowling, wrestling and baseball. From June 28 to July 1, the festival was held for the fourth time. The Bolesławiec UKS "Volley" women's volleyball team was invited for the first time.
The opening ceremony, conducted according to Olympic Games protocol, was a tremendous experience, featuring the teams of the individual countries marching past, the playing of national anthems, artistic performances and the lighting of the Olympic flame. Athletes from each country entered the stadium separately, led by a flag-bearer.
UKS "Volley" competed in the women's under-17 tournament together with 15 teams from Italy, the USA, Germany and Austria. In the group stage, the Bolesławiec players faced teams from the USA, Eagletters and Sparks, as well as the Austrian team Volley Team Wien, winning all their matches 2:0. In the semi-final, the UKS Volley players narrowly lost 2:0 to the German champions SV Preussen Berlin. In the match for third place, the Bolesławiec players lost after an extremely even contest to the Austrian champions Aon hotVolleys Wien, 2:1, ultimately taking fourth place in the entire event. The players from our club were a year younger than their opponents (16 years old) and competed with an incomplete squad.
The good play of our volleyball players was noticed, as they were invited to the 4th International Youth Tournament "Hitthaler Cup" Wien 2007, organized by the elite team Aon hotVolley Wien, with the participation of the best cadet teams from Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovakia and Argentina.
The UKS "Volley" players performed very well in Vienna, proudly representing both Bolesławiec and Poland. Our team attracted tremendous interest, particularly from athletes from the United States, who were surprised by the sporting level we demonstrated. We were guaranteed participation in this competition next year. We made many acquaintances. The event proved that sport brings people and nations together.
(information from UKS "Volley" Bolesławiec/GA)