Professional volleyball men’s OK Financial Group’s ‘Cuban monster’ Leo (32) challenges a new milestone in the V-League. It is the first record of a triple crown (three or more points in each of the blocking serve rear end) in 4 consecutive games. On the 2nd of this month, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, on the 6th, Woori Card, and on the 11th, Korea Electric Power, Leo, who wore the crown in succession, will challenge the record against home team KB Insurance in the Uijeongbu visit game on the 16th.
Previously, there were three triple crowns in three consecutive games, but there was no four consecutive games. KEPCO Milos (36, Montenegro) succeeded in three consecutive triple crowns for the first time in the 2010-2011 season, and Padar (26, Hungary) won the same title at Woori Card in the 2017-2018 season and at Hyundai Capital in the 2018-2019 season. left a record
Leo is raising expectations by speeding up the achievement of the triple crown this season. Leo, who played for Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance for three seasons from the 2012-2013 season, left a total of six triple crowns until last season, when he returned wearing the OK Financial Group uniform. In his all season, it is already 4 times, including this record of 3 consecutive matches.
In particular, in the previous match, against KEPCO, before the first set was over, they completed the triple crown by raising 7 points in the rear, 3 points in the sub, and 3 points in the blocking. Previously, while the triple crown came out a total of 303 times in the V-League, only Korean Air Gasparini (38, Slovenia) set a record in one set. Gasparini scored against Woori Card on November 24, 2017. 메이저사이트
Leo, who is in his second season at OK Financial Group, is evaluated as upgraded in all directions compared to last season. In blocking, the advice of Seok Jin-wook, director of OK Financial Group, was particularly effective. Until last season, Leo scored 3 or more points in the back attack and serve, but the number of blocks was insufficient, so he failed the triple crown the most (35 times). He fell short of scoring from serve 20 times and never once failed to score a triple due to a lack of scoring from behind.
Coach Seok said, “Leo often did running jumps by running up to increase his blocking height. However, as he did not have a big problem with height from the beginning, he ordered to reduce the steps and pay attention to position selection. As his record improved, Leo himself gained confidence,” he explained.
The sluggishness last season, such as being eliminated from the postseason, also spurred Leo on. Coach Seok said, “Leo, who was the best foreign player in the league at Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, suffered a lot of damage to his pride last season. This season, I felt something special from the mindset, such as entering the country after losing weight according to the fitness management program provided by the club in advance.”
Leo reduced his weight from 102kg last season to 95kg this season. His wife, Ira Izel, 32, whom he married last summer, and their daughter living together in Korea and cheering him on every game gives Leo a sense of security. At the end of the year, Leo’s mother is also planning to enter the country.