Manko marvels as Bosnia beat France

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Adnan Manko steered his team to a 3-0 defeat of hosts France at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games men’s sitting volleyball tournament in North Paris Arena on Monday.

Manko led with a stellar 13-point performance, including five attacks, one block, and a remarkable seven service aces out of Bosnia’s total of ten. His efforts were supported by Stevan Crnobrnja and Ermin Jusufovic, who each added 10 points. France’s Damien Roget scored nine points in a valiant effort, but it was not enough to overcome Bosnia’s strong performance. Bosnia’s offence and defence were particularly effective, yielding 38 points and eight net deflections.

In the first set, Bosnia quickly established control, jumping to a 13-4 lead with Manko’s powerful serves unsettling the French defence. Despite some resistance from France, including a few points from Roget, Bosnia extended their lead, capitalising on errors. The set concluded with a sharp attack from Crnobrnja, giving Bosnia a 25-12 victory.

The second set saw Bosnia continue their dominance, combining strong serves and effective attacks. France tried to keep pace, but their mistakes allowed Bosnia to widen the gap. Contributions from Dzevad Hamzic and Mirzet Duran helped Bosnia secure the set 25-13.

The third set was slightly more competitive, with France attempting to push back. However, Bosnia’s superior play in defence and attack allowed Bosnia to pull away. Dino’s final attack sealed the set and match at 25-15, completing group play with three victories.

Photo: WPV/Sinisa Kaniz