PAOLO NICOLAI
Date of Birth: 06/08/1988
Place of Birth: Ortona (Chieti)
Weight x Height: 96 x 2,04
Speciality: Men's Tournament
Teammate: SAMUELE COTTAFAVA
First Club: Impavida Ortona
Club: Aeronautica Militare
First Coach: Dionisio Lequaglie
Coach: Simone Di Tommaso
Other Sports: Volleyball
Hobby: Music,cinema, reading
Relationship Status: Married
Olympic Appearances:
4 (Londra 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, Parigi 2024)
Biography
He first experienced volleyball, following in the footsteps of his father Rino. At 15, however, he diverted his path towards beach volleyball, leading Italy to achieve its greatest ever results. Between 2014 and 2017, he reached the top of Europe no fewer than three times and, at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, he claimed a splendid silver medal, again alongside Daniele Lupo. Passionate about economics and technology, he already has a clear idea of what he wants to do after his competitive career. He possesses the experience and maturity needed to handle pressure situations, but he still has the desire to make his mark and enjoy more on-court joy alongside his new partner Samuele Cottafava, with whom he has been competing since the beginning of 2022. When not travelling, he enjoys spending his free time with his wife Sara and their children Anna and Pietro, to whom he hopes to dedicate an achievement at Paris 2024 that will be etched into history.
Print
Palmares
Olympic Games
5° Londra (GBR) 2012
2° Rio (BRA) 2016
5° Tokyo (JPN) 2020
9° Parigi (FRA) 2024
World Championships
17° Stavanger (NOR) 2009
9° Roma (ITA) 2011
9° Stare Jablonki (POL) 2013
17° Olanda (NED) 2015
17° Vienna (AUT) 2017
5° Amburgo (GER) 2019
9° Roma (ITA) 2022
9° Tlaxcala (MEX) 2023
European Championships
9° Sochi (RUS) 2009
25° Kristiansand (NOR) 2011
4° Klagenfurt (AUT) 2013
1° Cagliari (ITA) 2014
9° Klagenfurt (AUT) 2015
1° Biel (SUI) 2016
1° Jūrmala (LAT) 2017
17° Olanda (NED) 2018
5° Mosca (RUS) 2019
3° Jūrmala (LAT) 2020
9° Vienna (AUT) 2021
9° Monaco (GER) 2022
4° Vienna (AUT) 2023
4° Olanda (NED) 2024
World Cup
Final
5° Fort Lauderdale (USA) 2015
3° Amburgo (GER) 2017
5° Amburgo (GER) 2018
17° Roma (ITA) 2019
4° Cagliari (ITA) 2021
3° Doha (QAT) 2023
5° Doha (QAT) 2023