- Adrian Carambula is proudly representing Italy in beach volleyball at the Olympics
- He executed an astonishing serve during his recent match at the Games
- The 36-year-old Carambula shared insights into his distinctive serving technique during matches
Italian beach volleyball sensation Adrian Carambula executed a remarkable serve at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday evening.
Carambula teamed up with Alex Ranghieri in a group stage match against the Norwegian duo Anders Mol and Christian Soerum.
At the pinnacle of athletic competition, the 36-year-old showcased his impressive skills.
Known as ‘Mr. Skyball’, Carambula’s signature serve involves launching the ball high into the air with significant spin, making it tricky for opponents to react. He demonstrated this skill in Paris.
His audacious attempt not only impressed but also landed perfectly inside the court, prompting a response from the Norwegian pair.
Adrian Carambula performed his ‘Skyball’ serve at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday night
Carambula sends the ball soaring and elevates his leg for effect
He shared that he developed a unique serving style to counter his height disadvantage
The Italian veteran previously shared the reasoning behind his ‘Skyball’ serve, mentioning that his height of just 5ft 11in requires him to employ a unique approach to compete effectively against taller opponents.
‘Many can relate to my experience. I recognize that standing at 181 [cm] and competing at this level is unusual,’ he told Olympics.com.
‘I’m not the fastest, nor the slimmest, but I sense a connection to a larger community, and it feels meaningful. I bear a bit of responsibility in that respect.’
‘Kids adore my serve because it resembles something from a superhero. It’s my go-to weapon. It disrupts their rhythm and can throw off their court positioning, allowing my partner to capitalize on opportunities to block.’
Carambula honed this skill while playing on the beaches of Miami and stated that it has become second nature to him.
‘I’ve mastered it to the point where I don’t even practice it anymore. It just comes out under game pressure.’
Although Carambula faced defeat on Wednesday, he and partner Alex Ranghieri won their opening match on Sunday
Regrettably for Carambula, his remarkable serving was not enough to secure Italy a win, as they fell 21-12, 21-15 to Mol and Soerum.
However, Italy did triumph in their opening group match on Sunday, keeping Carambula and Ranghieri’s hopes of progressing to the next stages alive.
They are set to return to action on Friday against Chilean cousins Marco and Esteban Grimalt.
