You can see that the Swiss players Zoé Vergé-Dépré (left) and Esmée Böbner are on fire
Image: Keystone
The beach volleyball backdrop is simply magnificent
Image: Keystone
Sister Anouk Vergé-Dépré, who did not qualify for Paris, will be watching her sister play on Saturday
Image: Keystone
Esmée Böbner enjoys the very special atmosphere of beach volleyball next to the Eiffel Tower
Image: Keystone
Already through to the round of 16 before the third group match - but with even more in mind
Image: Keystone
You can see that the Swiss players Zoé Vergé-Dépré (left) and Esmée Böbner are on fire
Image: Keystone
The beach volleyball backdrop is simply magnificent
Image: Keystone
Sister Anouk Vergé-Dépré, who did not qualify for Paris, will be watching her sister play on Saturday
Image: Keystone
Esmée Böbner enjoys the very special atmosphere of beach volleyball next to the Eiffel Tower
Image: Keystone
Already through to the round of 16 before the third group match - but with even more in mind
Image: Keystone
Zoé Vergé-Dépré shines with Esmée Böbner and reaches the last 16 of the beach volleyball tournament ahead of schedule. Her sister Anouk, who is now a friend again instead of a competitor, joins in the excitement at home.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Zoé Vergé-Dépré practically snatched the Olympic beach volleyball ticket away from her older sister Anouk.
- Now the rivals are best friends again.
- Tokyo medal winner Anouk, who has already taken part in two Olympic Games, gives tips and will be in the stadium as a fan at the next match.
The noise is deafening. Almost 12,000 fans transform the makeshift beach volleyball stadium into a madhouse, with the Eiffel Tower sparkling in the Parisian night with a light show right next to it. The stadium had to be evacuated beforehand due to a serious thunderstorm warning. But everyone returned.
Right in the middle of it all: Esmée Böbner and Zoé Vergé-Dépré, who somewhat surprisingly snatched the second Swiss Olympic ticket away from the Tokyo bronze medallists, Anouk Vergé-Dépré/Joana Mäder. Anouk is Zoé's older sister. In recent months, the two have therefore been rivals for the coveted Olympic spot. But now that the battle is over, they are as best friends as ever.
Regular exchanges
Zoé Vergé-Dépré greatly appreciates Anouk's advice. "We talk to each other all the time, especially now during the games," the 26-year-old from Bern told Keystone-SDA after winning the second game late on Wednesday evening. "She gave me a few good tips on what it's like at the Olympics. After all, she's been there twice." And she also plays a little for her sister. Although Anouk is training herself and doesn't have that much time, she will also be coming to Paris for the third group match on Saturday.
The only thing left for Böbner and Vergé-Dépré in this match is to secure group victory against the previously winless Giuliana Poletti/Michelle Valiente from Paraguay. They have already secured qualification for the round of 16 in their Olympic debut after two wins. Esmée Böbner has said of her partner of seven years that she is "mega determined, very ambitious and always hungry to improve". So far, things have gone extremely well, partly because Zoé Vergé-Dépré feels right at home in Paris.
Super beautiful in France
"Even more so than in France, but in Guadeloupe," she emphasizes, whose father is from the French Caribbean island. "But it's really nice to understand the language. I definitely feel at home in this country." And of course it is special to play right next to the Eiffel Tower. This was even more the case on Wednesday evening with the delay, when the Eiffel Tower started flashing with lots of lights. Böbner was immediately enthusiastic and pointed this out to Vergé-Dépré, but she only had eyes for the game, as described above.
However, she does appreciate the spectacular location of the beach volleyball stadium. And she is absolutely thrilled by the atmosphere inside. "People go wild, it's extremely loud," she says happily. "We're not always used to that, not even at big tournaments." The Olympics are just different. But Zoé Vergé-Dépré already knew that from her sister.
SDA
