[Video available] Ryu Yamamoto: "I just want to cherish each and every day" - Romanian League post-match interview

In the 13th round of the Romanian Men's Volleyball League, Dinamo Bucharest, of which Yamamoto Ryu is a member, played against Zalau on Saturday, January 20th local time and won 3-2 (21-25, 20-25, 25-14, 27-25, 15-12).

Yamamoto started the match, but his teammates' serve reception was unstable and he was unable to show his true potential. He lost the first set and was at a disadvantage in the second set, so he went to the bench.

However, with OH Verissimo (Brazil) coming on as a substitute, the team gained stability in serve reception, and with OH Balean (Romania) at the helm, the team continued to score points, winning the third and fourth sets in a row.

In the fifth set, OH Balean and OP Barbast (Iran) scored points to help Dinamo Bucharest win the set, coming from behind to win 3-2.

S Ryu Yamamoto 1 point (1 block)

Interview with Ryu Yamamoto

T: How do you feel looking back on today's game?

Yamamoto: That's right. I started the match, but in the end we couldn't win the set and had to be replaced (by the reserve setter). I'm happy that we ended up winning, but I think my role and play weren't very good.

T: What were the challenges for you as an individual?

Yamamoto: Our passing was being disrupted, and it was a situation where we had to persevere and persevere, but the passes weren't coming back and we couldn't get into our own rhythm, so I think it just ended up being a simple case of passing the ball around.

T: How do you feel looking back on the Romanian league so far?

Yamamoto: Looking back? (laughs) Well, yes, unlike Japan there is still a language barrier, but if you play well you will be evaluated, so I think it depends on how you play.

T: Do you still find communication difficult?

Yamamoto: That's true. I've learned how to communicate in simple ways, but I've always played volleyball with Japanese players, so I think Japanese has always helped me a lot, especially in terms of my ability to cover for others.

T: What are your goals for this year, 2024?

Yamamoto: This year, 2024, is the year of the Olympics, so my first goal is to become a member of the team there. I think the remaining four months in Romania are extremely important, so I just need to cherish each and every day.

Photo: Author