Wilfred Leon helps Poland's men end 48-year Olympic volleyball final dry-spell

From Cuba via Poland to the top of the podium in Paris - Wilfredo Leon’s journey is almost complete.

On Wednesday (7 August), Leon led all scorers with 26 points (22 kills to go with two blocks and aces each) to fire Poland past the United States 3-2 into the men’s volleyball gold-medal match at Paris 2024 on Wednesday (7 August) - their first Olympic final appearance in 48 years.

It is a dream that has been in the making since 2015, when the Cuban-born outside hitter supremo gained Polish citizenship through his wife from the country.

Poland, the world’s top-ranked team, will play either hosts France in Sunday’s final, and silver doesn’t interest Leon one bit.

“That was always my dream,” Leon, who left Cuba in 2013 to play in Russia, told Olympics.com. “When I was with the national team of Cuba… I won the junior Olympic Games so I promised to myself that as soon as I was in the full national team, my goal was to be there in the Olympics.

“For a really long period, we were waiting to have a medal and for many years waiting to pass the quarter-finals. Last Olympics, we couldn’t pass it and from that moment (we wanted this). “I’m really glad but right now we are on a silver medal - but for me it’s not enough. I will fight for the gold.”

Wilfredo Leon: 'We will fight'

Poland had to dig themselves out of a ditch against USA after going down 2-1 - as libero Pawel Zatorski suffered a shoulder injury - and the Americans sitting on match point 20-18. But Leon & Co. saved it, restoring parity at two sets apiece.

The tiebreak epitomised the slugfest on this evening as the two sides traded point for point. USA closed within 14-13 but Leon, in his Superman cape, produced the final score off the hands of Taylor Averill as he did throughout the match.

Last year’s Volleyball Nations League and European champions had been knocked out in the last eight at the last five Olympic Games, but finally broke through.

Asked how he and his team-mates felt when they were on the ropes in the fourth set, Leon said, “We just said like okay, this set is already done so we needed to continue to make impression on them.

“We needed to be focused now more on reception on blocking, on serves because if we are not focused on that, we’ll just lose the game. The coach said guys, to move more - energy. Everybody needs to search for it. And there we were.

“I thought it was two teams fighting to be in the final, amazing game from both sides. I think it was really nice to watch it, but more nice to play.

“So I'm glad that I was participating during this game and we made a great comeback. They were leading, they were playing amazing and we got the victory.

“What else can I say?”

The former Cuban prodigy who made his senior international debut at 14 is now 31 and a father of three, and on the cusp of realising his career goal. Leon doesn’t plan to let anyone get in his way.

“I just care that we have a good team too and we will fight back. We will give nothing for free.

“We will fight, we will fight. There will be no issue for nobody."