The Hague, Netherlands, August 3 - Maintaining their composure after losing the first set, Germany's Chantal Laboureur and Levke Springer came from behind Sunday to defeat home country favourites Rimke Braakman/Sophie van Gestel to win the women's gold medal of the 2008 SWATCH FIVB Youth World Championships, presented by RICOH, for players under the age of 19. The five-day, double gender event was held at Hommerson Beachsport Stadion in the seaside resort of Scheveningen in The Hague. Regaining their confidence as the 48-minute gold medal match evolved, Germany's Chantal/Springer came from behind to defeat the Netherlands' popular Braakman/van Gestel for the championship in three sets, 10-21 and 21-16 and 15-11. For Laboureur, of Friedrichshafen and Springer, of Husum, their road to the title match in the 2008 SWATCH FIVB Youth World Championship saw them earn an unblemished 7-0 mark, although they were pushed to three sets in four of their matches. Getting off to a slow start as the Dutch women responded to the support of the crowd, it appeared as if the team from the Netherlands might win after dominating the first set 21-10. Labourer/Springer came back stronger in the second set, winning several points with Labourer's blocks at the net, 21-16.
"We talked about strategies to play the Dutch, and we obviously had to adjust after the first set," said Labourer. "Fortunately, we have the experience and the ability to play from behind but it wasn't easy for us, especially with the Netherlands crowd getting behind their team so well. Levke and I have played together for some time now and that helps us as the level of competition increases. This is amazing to play against all of these wonderful teams from so many countries and come out on top." For the Germans, who won the 2007 under 18 European Championship, their tournament streak first saw them meet Czech Republic's Sarka Melicharkova/Marie Reiterova and they defeated them 21-17 and 21-15 in 37 minutes and then defeated Ukraine's Maryna Samoday/Tetyana Sukach, 21-17, 22-24 and 15-4 in 51 minutes. After that they beat Switzerland's Tanja Goricanec (21-17 and 24-22 in 42 minutes), Canada's Louise Facca/Caleigh Whitaker (21-16, 15-21, 15-13 in 52 minutes) and Russia's Anna Alova/Ekaterina Raevskaya (22-24, 21-18 and 15-10 in 55 minutes) prior to the semifinal victory where Laboureur/Levke outlasted Russia's Irina Chaika/Ekaterina Karapischenko 21-19, 19-21 and 15-12 in a 56-minute match on Saturday. They then finished off their championship run with the victory over Braakman/van Gestel.
Laboureur/Springer added to the legacy the Germans have in this event with their title. They are the eighth German team to place in the top four in the SWATCH FIVB Youth World Championships; the second German team to win the Gold Medal and first since Jane Kohler/Laura Ludwig won it in 2003. Braakman/van Gestel were the fifth Dutch women's team to finish in the top four, but they were unable to become the third team from the Netherlands to win the gold medal and defend the title won last year by the Netherlands' Danielle Remmers/Michelle Stiekema. In an exciting and close match, Russia's Irina Chaika and Ekaterina Karapischenko, both of Krasnodar held off Poland's Beata Galek of Myslowice and Daria Paszek of Krotoszyn to capture the bronze medal, 21-18 and 21-19 in 36 minutes. In both sets, the action stayed close with neither team taking more than a three-point lead, and several ties. The last tie in the first set was at 17-17 and in second set it was last tied at 18-18. Chaika/Karapischenko ended the international tournament with a 5-2 record while Galek/Paszek left the Netherlands with a 4-3 final tournament record. Russia's finish in the women's competition marked the first top four and first medal in the seven-year history of the event. Poland has now had three teams finish in the final four, including one gold medal and one silver.
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