– It’s a little wonderful not to have the favorite stamp. Now it may be Qatar (who are favorites), and it is good that they also get to feel the pressure, says Anders Mol to news. It is less than a year ago that Mol and his partner Christian Sørum were counted as the best beach volleyball duo in the world. They won European Championship gold in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, and also Olympic gold in Tokyo in the summer of 2021. It is a list of merits that most people can only dream of. They were also very strong in the world series, where they often remained the winner in various tournaments. New weekday for the duo But 2022 has warts for the star duo. Because there have been fewer tournaments and matches, and Sørum has struggled with a shoulder injury which meant that they had to withdraw from the dress rehearsal before the World Cup in Rome. It was the aforementioned shoulder that was a bit sore, and therefore they would rather prepare for the World Cup. OLYMPIC STARS: The Norwegian superduo went to the top of the Olympics in Tokyo. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB – It is Anders who has struggled with injuries in the past, but he is good at being injured out of season. It is a bit new and frustrating, says Sørum. He also admits that the year has been busy with fewer tournaments and matches. – We know that the best way to play good volleyball is to play many tournaments. We must work patiently and train as best we can. Now we have a few days of preparations, where we get to know the heat and the surroundings. It promises well, says Sørum. They face many battles, and then the question becomes how well anticipated they are after the injury to Sørum. – That’s exactly it – there are many fights. The tournaments are long, but this is better than usual. Now we have a maximum of one match a day, in addition to a few rest days. It helps a little considering the heat down here in Rome. We also play the group game in the evening, so it’s nice too, he says. INJURY PROBLEMS: Christian Sørum has struggled with a sore shoulder in 2022. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB First gong in 13 years Now the two profiles are ranked number nine, something that is unusually low for them. But they think there is a special reason for it. – The ranking has been unstable, with new tournaments and a new setup. The ranking points are “a little off”. In a way, we want to win every game, so it does not change anything, says Mol. It is for example the Brazilian duo George / Andre who tops the ranking, with Qatari Cherif / Ahmed only 200 points behind. For Mol and Sørum, there are 1180 points up to first place. – We are very hungry for the World Cup title – both for ourselves and for Norway. We want that title back to Norway. It was the World Cup in Stavanger in 2009 that made us play volleyball, and we want to create that dream in others. It is important to have him at home. Hopefully there will be a tournament at home after the World Cup to inspire others, says Mol. In addition to Mol and Sørum, Hendrik Mol and Mathias Berntsen will also participate in the WC. It is the first time in 13 years that Norway has two teams for the World Cup. Mol and Sørum have never won World Cup gold, and that is to say the only thing the Norwegian duo lacks in their collection. The World Cup in Rome will take place from 10 to 19 June.
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Norway’s superduo with ranking bang for Olympic gold – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
