Buijs returns to strengthen the Netherlands at VNL 2024

The Netherlands’ push to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics during this year’s Volleyball Nations League received a major boost this weekend, when star outside hitter Anne Buijs announced her return to the country’s national team this summer.

The 32-year-old Buijs, who captained the ‘Volleyball Dames’ for a number of years in the past, stepped away from the international game last season, when she decided to take a break from the national team competition.

• Watch Volleyball Nations League 2024 live or on demand on VBTV.

After enjoying last summer, she feels ready to return this season and will be among the players announced by head coach Felix Koslowski to form the Dutch squad in 2024.

“I was a bit tired of volleyball and those three months were extremely valuable,” Buijs, who’s currently in action in the semifinals of the Italian League with Igor Gorgonzola Novara, said of her return. “I followed the national team last year and only heard positive things. Qualifying for the Olympics will be a wonderful challenge for us. Competing in the Games would be a dream come true.”

The Dutch are looking to return to the Olympics for the fourth time, after finishing sixth in Barcelona 1992, fifth in Atlanta 1996 and fourth at Rio 2016. They couldn’t secure one of the six berths in play at last year’s Volleyball Olympic Qualifiers, but are in a solid spot to booked their tickets to Paris during the VNL 2024.

Currently in tenth place in the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Rankings, the Dutch are the fourth-best-ranked national team among the ones still trying to qualify and will need to defend their spot during the VNL to guarantee their place at the Olympics.

“We’ll do our best to qualify,” Buijs reflected. “We’ve played Olympic Qualifiers in the past and we need to face this as a month-long Olympic Qualifier. Teams will have different approaches to the tournament, so we’ll need to focus entirely on our side of the court.”

With 321 matches played for the Dutch national team, Buijs will be one of the most experienced players in the squad this season. Besides that, she also hopes to contribute with her versatility.

“We have a considerable number of good options at outside hitter,” she noticed. “I hope that my experience can be valuable for the team and can provide us with better balance. I’ve played opposite with my club teams during the last two seasons, so that could be an option too. It’s up to the head coach.”

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