Tokyo, November 2, 2006: Poland’s Kamila Fratczak has already won one major battle just to get to the 2006 FIVB World Championships.
Now she’s here, she plans to win a few more.
The 26-year-old wing spiker was struggling to make the squad due to an abdominal muscle strain, but there have been few signs of any problems as she has helped the ninth-ranked Poles win their first two matches in Pool A.
“I am happy with the start because a few weeks ago I was injured, and to the end I did not know I would be here or not,” she said at the team hotel on Thursday, before leaving for a training session.
“I am glad to be here and in the first 12 girls in the team, and the tournament has been very good so far because we have won our first two matches.”
Poland’s 1.91-metre No. 17 quickly made her mark in the first match against Kenya, cranking out the points with her powerful spike dubbed the “Fratczak Crackerjack”. After wins against the African Queens and Korea, she has compiled 27 points – and there should be many more to come.
“I feel that our team will play better and better during this tournament, but first of all we are thinking about the group games. We have to win as many as we can and then we will see, because the teams are stronger and stronger and it will be very hard for us.”
The Poles must still play Costa Rica, Chinese Taipei and Japan in Pool A, and Fratczak expects more tough battles.
When asked about Chinese Taipei, who, like Poland, have won their first two matches, she replies: “This is a very good team. We knew that before this tournament because they played in the final of the Universiade last year with a similar team.
“Chinese Taipei beat Kenya 3-0 yesterday and we beat Kenya 3-1, so we are going to have a hard match against them on Saturday.”
The next day, the sold-out Japan-Poland clash on Sunday evening will bring an end to Pool A play at Yoyogi, and Fratczak knows what to expect from a previous visit to Japan.
“It is always very hard to play against Japan, not only because it is a very strong team but also because of the atmosphere. They have a great turnout of fans.”
