With team captain Bartosz Kurek still sidelined, World No. 1 Poland leaned on Wilfredo Leon to overcome Czechia in four sets, 25-18, 23-25, 25-22, 25-21, and clinch the bronze medal in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Leon, who opened the match with 11 points in the first set, saved his best for last, erupting for 26 points built on 23 attacks and three kill blocks. The star spiker helped the Poles quickly regroup from their semifinal loss to defending champion and World No. 2 Italy the previous day, showing composure to finish their campaign on a high note.
“Special, and not special, because I prepared myself to win the gold medal. Unfortunately, this time it didn't arrive. I won a bronze medal with a very good fight, so I'm happy with that side, but not happy at all that we didn't catch the gold medal,” said Leon, a former Cuban who has since secured Polish citizenship.
Apart from a second-set slip—where they squandered a 15-11 lead and allowed the Czechs to rally back and steal the frame to even the match at 1-1—Poland remained largely in control in the final two sets, keeping their opponents at bay.
The reigning VNL champions leaned on Szymon Jakubiszak, who helped stretch a slim 22-21 lead to 24-21 in the third set. A service error from Tomasz Fornal gave Czechia hope, but Leon answered with a hammer to seal the frame.
Czechia refused to fold in the fourth set, keeping it close early before Fornal, Marcin Komenda, Jakubiszak, Kewin Sasak, and Leon combined for an 8-3 run that pushed Poland ahead, 15-10—a lead they never relinquished to secure the bronze.
The victory marked Poland’s fourth consecutive podium finish at the World Championship and their first-ever bronze medal. They previously captured gold in 1974 (Mexico), 2014 (Poland), and 2018 (Italy/Bulgaria), and settled for silver in 2006 (Japan) and 2022 (Poland/Slovenia).
Komenda steered the offense with 36 excellent sets, while Sasak chipped in 11 points on eight attacks and three aces. Jakubiszak and Kamil Semeniuk added nine and six points, respectively, for the Poles.
“Maybe for now we still are a little bit sad about yesterday, that we didn't go to the final. It was our objective in this tournament, but I think after a few days, when we're back home and when we also start the season in the club, for sure we will be proud of this medal, because a medal is a medal,” Semeniuk said.
On the other hand, Czechia’s remarkable run ended with a fourth-place finish, matching its previous best when it also placed in the top four in 1970 on home soil. Luka Vasina led the Czechs with 19 points, while Patrik Indra and Antonin Klimes scored 11 and nine, respectively.
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