Born in Iceland, raised in Russia but Italian, very Italian from volleyball training and first membership. Ekaterina Antropova won her battle to become a full-fledged Italian player and coach Davide Mazzanti immediately wanted to reward her by placing her among the thirty teams for the Nations League. The Savino Del Bene Scandicci player is certainly the most important novelty in recent calls, an opposite of just 20 years, who made it from the top of his 202 centimeters, despite a regular-season job non, the beauty of 384- points to achieve -continuously by Massimo Barbolini.

You and your family fought and won a long battle. And now the call from Italy has arrived. Many innovations have marked his last period.

“Everything came together and I have yet to understand what happened. Being called up for the Italian national team was a unique feeling. Another significant step for my career. I will be able to compare myself with the best players in the world and it will be .” be interesting to see live all the volleyball players I’ve watched on TV so far. Your role models now become your opponents.”

Did you have a chance to speak to Mazzanti?

“Yes I did, we met and he came to see some of our training sessions. He mainly asked me general information about the season and told me what to expect. It’s going to be a very long summer for me.”

In the national team he will have to deal with a certain Paola Egonu in his role…

“My competition isn’t just with Paola, but with a lot of girls who will be part of the group. I see that as something positive and I’m very excited and happy to start this journey because there are players who know what it means “To work and do it hard. I’m very excited to see what kind of training we’re going to do. It’s going to be fun.”

Do you see in a blue key, but not only, the possibility of your development as a spiker?

“To play, I would be willing to play as a libero. I don’t want to limit myself to the possibility of improving, I can go out on the field as a spiker, as the opposite, everything is allowed for me.”

In the championship, on the other hand, his team lost in the semifinals against Milan. Have you shed that bitterness?

“Actually, we experience strange sensations. We had won the first race and there was no feeling in the group that it would all be over soon. We still don’t realize that it’s over and that it’s also time for the farewell between us.”

What season was that for you for Savino Del Bene?

“It was a very good season, one of growth, even compared to last year. We lost a few games, dropped a few points and that allowed us to finish second in the regular season. All of that was done improved on the win in the Cev Cup, which is our second consecutive European trophy after last year’s challenge.In the mind there is always the desire to achieve perfection, even when I know it’s impossible.The desire to do more and better to do is there. It has always been and it will be this time too. Both the personal and the team goals are high, as high as possible. Next year, I am convinced, there will be a really good championship. “

In which aspects do you think you can still grow?

“Especially in the basics there are many aspects. I only did one year in A2 and didn’t have much experience behind me before I got into A1. But I also have a great desire to do something. I’m very happy with what I’ve done throughout this season, but now we have to move forward and not stand still.”