Oliver Venno

Oliver Venno (born 23 May 1990) is an Estonian volleyball player currently playing for Al Rayyan of the Qatari Volleyball League.[1] He mostly plays at the opposite hitter position but has also played at the outside hitter position on numerous occasions.

Oliver Venno
Personal information
NationalityEstonian
Born (1990-05-23) 23 May 1990
Tartu, Estonia
Height2.10 m (6 ft 11 in)
Weight110 kg (243 lb)
Spike355 cm (140 in)
Block330 cm (130 in)
Volleyball information
PositionOpposite hitter / Outside hitter
Current clubAl Rayyan
Number11
Career
YearsTeams
2006–2009
2009–2010
2010–2012
2012
2012–2013
2013–2014
2014–2015
2015–2016
2016–2018
2018–2020
2020–2022
2022–
Estonia Pere Leib Tartu
Slovenia ACH Volley Bled
Germany VfB Friedrichshafen
Montenegro Budvanska Rivijera Budva
France Rennes Volley 35
Russia Prikamye Perm
Austria Hypo Tirol Innsbruck
Turkey Ziraat Bankası Ankara
Turkey Maliye Milli Piyango
Turkey Galatasaray İstanbul
Qatar Police SC Qatar
Qatar Al Rayyan
National team
2008– Estonia
Honours
Men’s volleyball
Representing  Estonia
European League
Gold medal – first place2016 Bulgaria
Gold medal – first place2018 Czech Republic
Bronze medal – third place2021 Belgium
Challenger Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Portugal
Last updated: 8 May 2023

Club career

Venno was born in Tartu, and started his career in hometown club Pere Leib Tartu at the age of 16. In addition to three Estonian League silver medals he won the Estonian Cup in 2008 with the and reached the finals of the Baltic League twice. Venno was named the Best Young Estonian Volleyball Player in 2008 and 2009. In summer of 2009 Venno signed with ACH Volley Bled of Slovenia.[2] With the Bled team Venno won the Slovenian League, the Slovenian Cup and the MEVZA Cup. They also reached the Final Four of the 2009–10 CEV Champions League making Venno the first Estonian to play in the semi-finals of the Champions League. In 2010 and 2011 Venno won the Estonian Volleyball Player of the Year award. From 2010 to 2012 he played in Germany for VfB Friedrichshafen and won the German League and the German Cup once. Venno started the 2012–13 season in the Montenegrin top team Budvanska Rivijera Budva.[3] He left the team in December and joined his compatriots Raimo Pajusalu and Keith Pupart in the French team Rennes Volley 35.[4]

For the 2013–14 season Venno signed with Prikamye Perm of the Russian Volleyball Super League.[5] In June 2014 Venno moved to Austria and signed a deal with local powerhouse Hypo Tirol Innsbruck.[6] With Hypo Tirol team he won the Austrian League without losing a single game during the season. He also added a second MEVZA Cup win to his account. In July 2015 Venno signed with Ziraat Bankası Ankara of the Turkish Men's Volleyball League.[7] For the next season he moved to another Ankara-based team Maliye Milli Piyango.[8] Venno was the top scorer of the league and helped his team to 5th-place finish. Venno stayed with the team for another season and helped Maliye Piyango to the final of the Turkish Cup for the first time in the club's history as they lost to Halkbank Ankara with the score 2–3. Venno and Maliye Piyango also reached to the semi-finals of the 2017–18 CEV Challenge Cup where they lost to eventual winner Bunge Ravenna in the golden set.[9]

In May 2018 Venno signed with one of the top Turkish teams, Galatasaray İstanbul.[10] Venno and Galatasaray played in the final of the 2018–19 CEV Cup where they lost to Italian team Diatec Trentino.[11] Venno was the Best Scorer of the competition totaling 190 points in 10 matches. He stayed with Galatasaray for the next season and started off with the Turkish Super Cup title. However, the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced to cancel all competitions. After five years in Turkey Venno signed with Police SC Qatar of the Qatari Volleyball League in June 2020.[12] He helped the team win two consecutive league titles and the 2022 Gulf Clubs Championship, where he was named MVP of the tournament.[13] In 2022 Police SC Qatar also won their first Emir of Qatar Cup with Venno scoring 41 points on the final against Al Arabi.[14]

After two seasons with Police SC Qatar Venno signed with another Qatari top team Al Rayyan.[15] Al Rayyan won the inaugural West Asia Men’s Club Volleyball Championship after defeating Kuwait SC 3–0 in the final with Venno scoring 19 points. He was also named the best opposite hitter of the tournament.[16]

National team

Oliver Venno represented the Estonian youth teams in the U16, U18 and U20 level. He is a member of the Estonian national team since 2008 and has represented his country at the 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017 and 2021 Men's European Volleyball Championships. With the national team Venno also won the 2016[17] and 2018[18] European Volleyball League titles.

Venno has also successfully represented Estonia in beach volleyball. Together with Kristo Kollo he won the U18 Beach European Championship in 2007[19] and U19 Beach World Championship in 2008.[20]

Sporting achievements

Clubs

CEV Cup
MEVZA League
Baltic League
GCC Volleyball Club Championship
West Asia Men’s Club Volleyball Championship
National championship
National cup

National team

Individual

  • 2008 Young Estonian Volleyball Player of the Year
  • 2009 Young Estonian Volleyball Player of the Year
  • 2010 Estonian Volleyball Player of the Year
  • 2011 Estonian Volleyball Player of the Year
  • 2018 European League – Best outside hitter
  • 2019 CEV Cup – Best scorer
  • 2021 Estonian Volleyball Player of the Year
  • 2022 GCC Volleyball Club Championship – Most valuable player
  • 2023 West Asia Men’s Club Volleyball Championship – Best opposite hitter

References

  1. "Oliver Venno karjäär jätkub Aasia rahaliigas" (in Estonian). Võrkpall24. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  2. "ÕL: Oliver Venno võtab Sloveenia klubi hea hüppelauana" SPORT.ERR.EE (06.09.2009). Retrieved on 11.06.2012. (in Estonian)
  3. "Venno liitub Meistrite liiga klubiga" Sport | ERR (15.09.2012). Retrieved on 15.09.2012. (in Estonian)
  4. "Oliver Venno liitub Prantsusmaa eestlastega" volley.ee (14.12.2012). Retrieved on 08.01.2013. (in Estonian)
  5. "Venno liitub Venemaa Superliigasse kuuluva võistkonnaga" Sport | ERR (04.08.2013). Retrieved on 06.09.2013. (in Estonian)
  6. "Venemaal mänginud Oliver Venno lahkub Venemaalt ja suundub Austriasse!" Delfi Sport (16.07.2014). Retrieved on 23.09.2014. (in Estonian)
  7. "Venno siirdub Türki, Teppan Venno asemele Austriasse" Sport | ERR (27.07.2015). Retrieved on 27.07.2015. (in Estonian)
  8. "Oliver Venno karjäär jätkub Euroopa tippliigas" sport.err.ee (02.06.2016). Retrieved on 02.06.2016. (in Estonian)
  9. "Bunge RAVENNA and Olympiacos PIRAEUS to fight for the CEV Challenge Cup title" CEV (21.03.2018). Retrieved on 18.04.2018.
  10. "Oliver Venno liitus Türgi suurklubiga" ERR Sport (02.05.2018). Retrieved on 02.05.2018.(in Estonian)
  11. "TRENTINO banish demons to claim #CEVCupM crown" CEV (26.03.2019). Retrieved on 27.03.2019.
  12. "Oliver Venno karjäär jätkub Aasia rahaliigas" (in Estonian). Võrkpall24. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  13. "Police team is the champion of the 38th Gulf Championship" Qatar Volleyball Association (12.03.2022). Retrieved on 15.03.2022.
  14. "Police crowned the Amir Cup" Qatar Volleyball Association (20.04.2022). Retrieved on 22.04.2022.
  15. "Venno vahetas tööandjat, Kollo sai Türgist ebameeldiva üllatuse, Aganits otsib klubi" Delfi Sport (05.09.2022). Retrieved on 06.09.2022. (in Estonian)
  16. "Invincible Al Rayyan capture historic West Asia Men's Club Championship title after 3-0 rout of Kuwait Club in thrilling showdown" Asian Volleyball Confederation (18.03.2023). Retrieved on 20.03.2023.
  17. "Estonia rise to the occasion to win historic European League title". CEV. 2 July 2016. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  18. "Estonia claim second #EuroLeagueM crown after dispatching Czechs in three sets". CEV. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  19. "Kristo Kollo ja Oliver Venno tulid U-18 rannavõrkpalli Euroopa meistriks!" EVF (21.07.2007). Retrieved on 22.04.2011. (in Estonian)
  20. "Under-19 MEN World Championships" FIVB. Retrieved on 22.04.2011.
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