No sooner had the volleyball battles of Russia’s adult championship concluded than the next heated showdown began — this time among the nation’s top young players. Fr om April 11 to 17, Kaluga hosted the Russian Volleyball Championship for boys and girls under 22, delivering thrilling matches and unforgettable performances.
The championship kicked off on April 12, Cosmonautics Day, with a grand opening ceremony attended by distinguished guests. Among them were Roman Zhulenko, Deputy Minister of Sport of the Kaluga Region; Alexander Seregin, Deputy Director of the Annenki Sports Training Centre; Sergey Usov, Chairman of the Kaluga Federation of Deaf Sports; and Yulia Morozova, Chair of the Kaluga Regional Branch of VOG. Also present were the head coaches of Russia’s men’s and women’s national volleyball teams — Vasily Kovalchuk and Alexander Kudryashov, respectively. Following the welcoming speeches, the iconic phrase “Let’s go!” — famously uttered by Yuri Gagarin — rang out, paying tribute to Cosmonautics Day while officially launching the tournament.
The junior championship featured fierce competition across both divisions. The boys’ tournament included teams from the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District, Kaluga, Moscow, Novosibirsk Region, St. Petersburg, and Moscow. Meanwhile, the girls’ tournament saw teams from Voronezh, Kaluga, Novosibirsk, Moscow, and Krasnoyarsk regions vying for victory.
All matches followed a round-robin format, with the winners determined by total points. Fans packed the stands, passionately supporting their favorite teams. From the very first matches, the host teams — both boys and girls — made their ambitions clear, dominating every opponent and finishing the tournament undefeated.
Final Standings
Boys:
1st place - Kaluga Region
2nd place - Novosibirsk Region
3rd place - Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra
Girls:
1st place - Kaluga Region
2nd place - Moscow Region
3rd place - Krasnoyarsk Region
Top Players of the Championship
Daniil Pavlychev (Kaluga Region)
Vitaly Ondrikov (Novosibirsk Region)
Mikhail Zakharov (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra)
Anastasia Kolesnikova (Kaluga Region)
Polina Sdobnikova (Moscow Region)
Varvara Emelianenko (Krasnoyarsk Region)
RESULTS
Alexander Kudryashov, Head Coach of the Russian National Women's Volleyball Team: “This year’s championship featured athletes strictly under 22, unlike previous editions wh ere two players up to 24 were permitted. This shift created a noticeable contrast fr om last year’s tournament—one that, in my opinion, benefits young athletes by giving them more playing time. I hope this trend continues, as it will undoubtedly accelerate the development of future volleyball stars.”
Vasily Kovalchuk, Head Coach of the Russian National Men's Volleyball Team: “The Kaluga region team — composed of players who previously competed in the adult Russian championship and fought for bronze — emerged victorious, while Moscow’s team also put up a strong fight. One of the most intense moments came in the match against Novosibirsk, wh ere we were just one point away from defeat, trailing 14-15 in the fifth set. But we leveled the score, and Dmitry Pavlychev sealed the win with two clutch serves, securing not only the match but practically guaranteeing our success in the 2025 season. Pavlychev, now the starting setter for the national team, proved his worth once again. Credit also goes to coach Alexander Kudryashov for his tactical mastery.
We also saw impressive progress from Novosibirsk — after finishing 5th and 4th in recent years, they came within a single point of the title this time. Meanwhile, Khanty-Mansiysk, last year’s silver medalists, had to settle for bronze. The battle for fourth place between Moscow and Moscow Region went down to a tiebreaker, with Moscow ultimately prevailing. Another standout was St. Petersburg’s young squad, which held its own against stronger opponents — a testament to coach Vladimir Dudin’s excellent work.”
Text: Maria Mazhenina, Nurlan Tazhigulov
Photo: Olga Zakharova
Translation: Daria Kudelina
