PAOLO NICOLAI

SPECIALITY 24-pairs Tournament

Date of birth: 06/08/1988

Place of birth: Ortona

Height x weight: 2,04 x 96

Position: Player 1

Teammate: DANIELE LUPO

First Club: Impavida Ortona

Club: Aeronautica

First Coach: Dionisio Lequaglie

Coach: Matteo Varnier

Other sports: Volleyball

Hobby: Music,cinema, reading

Relationship Status: Single

Olympic Club: Yes

Olympic Games Participation:

2 (Londra 2012, Rio 2016)

Biography

He first became familiar with volleyball, with his father Rino as an example: a former player and now doctor for the Pallavolo Impavida Ortona team. However, at 15 years old he changed course and switched to beach volleyball, leading Italy to reach its best ever results in the discipline. He was crowned European champion in three editions (2014, 2016, 2017) and is the current Olympic silver-holder after his outing at Rio 2016. He has achieved every one of these results as one half of an unbeatable duo with Daniele Lupo, whom he supported and waiting for during his injuries and health issues and with whom he will be competing in his third Olympic Games. Passionate about economics and technology, he already has a few ideas about what to do after he has finished with competitive volleyball. At 32 years old, he has the experience and maturity needed to handle difficult times, but still wants to make his contribution to the sport and enjoy a few more wins on the court. 

Palmares

Print

Olympic Games

5° Londra (GBR) 2012

Rio (BRA) 2016

World Championships

17° Stavanger (NOR) 2009

9° Roma (ITA) 2011

9° Stare Jablonki (POL) 2013

17° Olanda (NED) 2015

17° Vienna (AUT) 2017

5° Amburgo (GER) 2019

European Championships

9° Sochi (RUS) 2009

25° Kristiansand (NOR) 2011

4° Klagenfurt (AUT) 2013

Cagliari (ITA) 2014

9° Klagenfurt (AUT) 2015

Biel (SUI) 2016

Jūrmala (LAT) 2017

17° Apeldoorn- Utrecht (NED) 2018

5° Mosca (RUS) 2019

 Jūrmala (LAT) 2020 

World Cup

5° Fort Lauderdale (USA) 2015

3° Amburgo (GER) 2017 

5° Amburgo (GER) 2018

17° Roma (ITA) 2019

Other Games

Ranking FIVB

12° Ranking 2019