Where are they now?

    Irina Tebenikhina, Elena Vassilevskaya, Birgit Thumm, Christina Benecke, Judith Silvester, Olessya Kulakova, atika Bouagaa, Galastri, Bragaglia.


    I know most of these players have retired from NT, but I wonder where are these players now? are they still playing for a club? Switched careers? :)

    Olesya Kulakova play for the 3 last season for Le Cannet, France. Its look like she's retired now.

    Les pieds dans le fumier, mais toujours le verbe haut et la tête droite ! Cocorico !

    Thanks for answering, le coq! :)


    I also like to add Sun Yue, Yin Yin, Wu Yongmei, Ku Min Jung, Qi He, Narita Ogake. (I remember Japan used to make high-pitched noises when they play back then :lol: )

    Birgit Thumm played in 3rd league last season, no idea if she will return to professional level again. Christina Benecke and Judith Sylvester retired after having babies some years ago. Atika Bouagaa had many injuries (shoulder, back, knee) in the last years and it seems she can't come back again :(


    I also have a question, does anyone know about Ukrainian player Maryna Korolkova? I watched her in Ukraine Junior NT together with Goncharova sisters and Olga Savenchuk in ECH 2006, she was a very talented OH then. I know she suffered a serious knee injury in semifinal of that tournament and after that I never heard about her again :S

    Quote from Russia_Nikolai_Karpol

    Vassilevskaia and Tebenekhina are all retired...together with Sun Yue and Wu yongmei...


    Vassilevskaia played with Uralochka in 2008/2009 season as an bench player


    Tebenhkina last season was 2008-2009


    I wonder why they retired early, specially Vassilevskaya. (Perhaps to devote time to family?) I think she could still be starting setter in Russian NT. and what do you call that serve of Wu Yongme and Chen Jing?

    Quote from Matthias

    Birgit Thumm played in 3rd league last season, no idea if she will return to professional level again. Christina Benecke and Judith Sylvester retired after having babies some years ago. Atika Bouagaa had many injuries (shoulder, back, knee) in the last years and it seems she can't come back again :(
    :S


    Thanks for the info, Matthias! Frankly speaking, i didn't imagine Judith Sylvester as a mother specially with her boyish looks. So that was a surprise for me. Sorry to hear about Bouagaa. Hopefully, she'll make a complete recovery and make a comeback to NT. :)


    More players to add: Desilets, Sarah Noriega, Elles Leferink. :)

    Quote from bibetron

    Thanks for the info, Matthias! Frankly speaking, i didn't imagine Judith Sylvester as a mother specially with her boyish looks. So that was a surprise for me. Sorry to hear about Bouagaa. Hopefully, she'll make a complete recovery and make a comeback to NT. :)


    More players to add: Desilets, Sarah Noriega, Elles Leferink. :)

    :lol: Well, I can understand your surprise about Sylvester in some way, but she is married (to a man, handball player) and called Judith Siebert now. Her pregnancy was already in 2005 by the way...and without meaning to be disrespectful, she'd have to lose 20kg at least to return to high level Volleyball. By the way I'm just remembering that she works as coach now, or at least she did so about 2 years ago, she was coaching some 3rd or 4th league back then, not sure if she still does.


    Desilets, isn't she Makare Wilson??
    Elles Leferink has retired several years ago and I think she also had a baby.

    Quote from Matthias

    :lol: Well, I can understand your surprise about Sylvester in some way, but she is married (to a man, handball player) and called Judith Siebert now. Her pregnancy was already in 2005 by the way...and without meaning to be disrespectful, she'd have to lose 20kg at least to return to high level Volleyball. By the way I'm just remembering that she works as coach now, or at least she did so about 2 years ago, she was coaching some 3rd or 4th league back then, not sure if she still does.


    Desilets, isn't she Makare Wilson??
    Elles Leferink has retired several years ago and I think she also had a baby.


    yep desilets=makare wilson...


    i really miss judith sylvester...


    Sarah Noriega's last season with the NT was in 2003

    Quote from bibetron

    I wonder why they retired early, specially Vassilevskaya. (Perhaps to devote time to family?) I think she could still be starting setter in Russian NT. and what do you call that serve of Wu Yongme and Chen Jing?


    Roundhouse Serve


    2001 European Champ..was the last competition of Vassilevskaia with Karpol..after that she refuse/retired to play with the NT...


    there were gossips back in 2004 that Vassilevskaia together with Gratcheva that they will play again for the Olympics..but for whatever reason it did not prosper ..so Karpol gambled Sheshenina

    Quote from Matthias


    I also have a question, does anyone know about Ukrainian player Maryna Korolkova? I watched her in Ukraine Junior NT together with Goncharova sisters and Olga Savenchuk in ECH 2006, she was a very talented OH then. I know she suffered a serious knee injury in semifinal of that tournament and after that I never heard about her again :S


    I didnt knew her but I checked it up for you. Korolkova has ended her carrer since long time ago and is now studying architecture in a university in Rivne, Ukraine.

    Quote from Matthias

    Thanks a lot for your help! :flower:
    Sad to hear though, I think she was a promising player :(


    No problem ;) Im curious about a player myself btw, Argentina-born italian Luisina Costagrande - the sister of superstar Carolina - she was one of the most promising players in the world with Goncharova, Bosetti, Natalia, Klineman etc in her teens, but suddenly she disappeared. I heard she got a autoimmune disease that could cause serious problems for her health, but still in 2009 she had plans to comeback and was running a bit. After that, I know nothing, but I hope she is healthy.

    Elisa Galastri has withdrawn from the fields to have a child and make a family since 2004.
    Antonella Bragaglia is still playing. Last year she played in serie A2 with Pomezia and also had a competitive season despite her age. Instead this year she has played in B1 (third Italian League) near her hometown to stay close to family. The team is idea Volley Campagnola Bologna and here there is a photo of the team. http://www.ideavolley.it/joomla/b1-campagnola/ ;)

    Quote from Diesse14

    how about Leila and Janina, they were playing in Brazil in Sidney??

    Leila and Janina are retired. Now, Leila comments volleyball matches on tv. About Janina, have no idea where is she, but I'm sure that she's retired :)

    Quote from Matthias

    :lol: Well, I can understand your surprise about Sylvester in some way, but she is married (to a man, handball player) and called Judith Siebert now. Her pregnancy was already in 2005 by the way...and without meaning to be disrespectful, she'd have to lose 20kg at least to return to high level Volleyball. By the way I'm just remembering that she works as coach now, or at least she did so about 2 years ago, she was coaching some 3rd or 4th league back then, not sure if she still does.


    Desilets, isn't she Makare Wilson??
    Elles Leferink has retired several years ago and I think she also had a baby.


    Oh, Makare Wilson was Makare Desilets before? That didn't occur to me. The Desilets I knew in the late 90s has short, blonde, curly hair and she takes a loooooong pause when going for a float serve (If memory serves me right, she was penalized by the referee one time for taking too long). :lol: If they are the same person, I guess she made some major change to her looks. I didn't recognize her. :lol:


    about Leferink, I remember she was one of the powerful jump servers back then. Remembering these players is like taking a trip to memory lane :lol:


    Thank you guys for the answers! They were all very informative :D