Oliver Venno (born 23 May 1990) is an Estonian volleyball player currently playing for Kuwait SC of the Kuwaiti Volleyball League. He mostly plays at the opposite hitter position but has also played at the outside hitter position on numerous occasions.
Club career Early years 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.
European clubs In summer of 2009 Venno signed with ACH Volley Bled of Slovenia."ÕL: Oliver Venno võtab Sloveenia klubi hea hüppelauana " SPORT.ERR.EE (06.09.2009). Retrieved on 11.06.2012. 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."Venno liitub Meistrite liiga klubiga" Sport | ERR (15.09.2012). Retrieved on 15.09.2012. He left the team in December and joined his compatriots Raimo Pajusalu and Keith Pupart in the French team Rennes Volley 35."Oliver Venno liitub Prantsusmaa eestlastega" volley.ee (14.12.2012). Retrieved on 08.01.2013.
For the 2013–14 season Venno signed with Prikamye Perm of the Russian Volleyball Super League."Venno liitub Venemaa Superliigasse kuuluva võistkonnaga" Sport | ERR (04.08.2013). Retrieved on 06.09.2013. In June 2014 Venno moved to Austria and signed a deal with local powerhouse Hypo Tirol Innsbruck."Venemaal mänginud Oliver Venno lahkub Venemaalt ja suundub Austriasse!" Delfi Sport (16.07.2014). Retrieved on 23.09.2014. 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.
Turkish clubs In July 2015 Venno signed with Ziraat Bankası Ankara of the Turkish Men's Volleyball League."Venno siirdub Türki, Teppan Venno asemele Austriasse" Sport | ERR (27.07.2015). Retrieved on 27.07.2015. For the next season he moved to another Ankara-based team Maliye Milli Piyango."Oliver Venno karjäär jätkub Euroopa tippliigas" sport.err.ee (02.06.2016). Retrieved on 02.06.2016. 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."Bunge RAVENNA and Olympiacos PIRAEUS to fight for the CEV Challenge Cup title" CEV (21.03.2018). Retrieved on 18.04.2018.
In May 2018 Venno signed with one of the top Turkish teams, Galatasaray İstanbul."Oliver Venno liitus Türgi suurklubiga" ERR Sport (02.05.2018). Retrieved on 02.05.2018. Venno and Galatasaray played in the final of the 2018–19 CEV Cup where they lost to Italian team Diatec Trentino."TRENTINO banish demons to claim #CEVCupM crown" CEV (26.03.2019). Retrieved on 27.03.2019. 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.
Qatari clubs After five years in Turkey Venno signed with Police SC Qatar of the Qatari Volleyball League in June 2020. He helped the team win two consecutive league titles and the 2022 Gulf Clubs Championship, where he was named MVP of the tournament."Police team is the champion of the 38th Gulf Championship" Qatar Volleyball Association (12.03.2022). Retrieved on 15.03.2022. In 2022 Police SC Qatar also won their first Emir of Qatar Cup with Venno scoring 41 points on the final against Al Arabi."Police crowned the Amir Cup" Qatar Volleyball Association (20.04.2022). Retrieved on 22.04.2022.
After two seasons with Police SC Qatar Venno signed with another Qatari top team Al Rayyan."Venno vahetas tööandjat, Kollo sai Türgist ebameeldiva üllatuse, Aganits otsib klubi" Delfi Sport (05.09.2022). Retrieved on 06.09.2022. 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."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. The season was also successful domestically as Venno helped Al Rayyan win the national championship and the Emir of Qatar Cup.
In February 2024 Al Rayyan won the West Asian Men's Volleyball Championship for the second consecutive time, once again defeating Al Kuwait SC 3–0 in the final and Venno was named MVP of the tournament."Qatars Al Rayyan power past Al Kuwait in final rematch to retain West Asian Men’s Championship title" Asian Volleyball Confederation (12.02.2024). Retrieved on 13.02.2024.
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, 2021 and 2023 Men's European Volleyball Championships. With the national team Venno also won the 2016 and 2018 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"Kristo Kollo ja Oliver Venno tulid U-18 rannavõrkpalli Euroopa meistriks!" EVF (21.07.2007). Retrieved on 22.04.2011. and U19 Beach World Championship in 2008."Under-19 MEN World Championships" FIVB. Retrieved on 22.04.2011.
Sporting achievements
Clubs CEV Cup 2018/2019 - with Galatasaray İstanbul
MEVZA League 2009/2010 – with ACH Volley Bled 2014/2015 – with Hypo Tirol Innsbruck
Baltic League 2007/2008 – with Pere Leib Tartu 2008/2009 – with Pere Leib Tartu
GCC Volleyball Club Championship 2022 – with Police SC Qatar
West Asia Men's Club Volleyball Championship 2023 – with Al Rayyan 2024 – with Al Rayyan 2025 – with Al Rayyan
National championship 2006/2007 Estonian Championship, with Pere Leib Tartu 2007/2008 Estonian Championship, with Pere Leib Tartu 2008/2009 Estonian Championship, with Pere Leib Tartu 2009/2010 Slovenian Championship, with ACH Volley Bled 2010/2011 German Championship, with VfB Friedrichshafen 2014/2015 Austrian Championship, with Hypo Tirol Innsbruck 2018/2019 Turkish Championship, with Galatasaray İstanbul 2019/2020 Qatari Championship, with Police SC Qatar 2020/2021 Qatari Championship, with Police SC Qatar 2021/2022 Qatari Championship, with Police SC Qatar 2022/2023 Qatari Championship, with Al Rayyan 2023/2024 Qatari Championship, with Al Rayyan 2024/2025 Qatari Championship, with Al Rayyan
National cup 2006/2007 Estonian Cup, with Pere Leib Tartu 2007/2008 Estonian Cup, with Pere Leib Tartu 2008/2009 Estonian Cup, with Pere Leib Tartu 2009/2010 Slovenian Cup, with ACH Volley Bled 2010/2011 German Cup, with VfB Friedrichshafen 2011/2012 German Cup, with VfB Friedrichshafen 2017/2018 Turkish Cup, with Maliye Milli Piyango 2018/2019 Turkish Cup, with Galatasaray İstanbul 2019/2020 Turkish Super Cup, with Galatasaray İstanbul 2020/2021 Qatari Cup, with Police SC Qatar 2021/2022 Emir Cup, with Police SC Qatar 2022/2023 Emir Cup, with Al Rayyan
National team 2016 European League 2018 European League 2018 Challenger Cup 2021 European League
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 2024 West Asia Men's Club Volleyball Championship – Most valuable player 2025 West Asia Men's Club Volleyball Championship – Best Scorer
References
External links Player biography Player profile on Volleybox Player profile on the CEV official site Player profile on the FIVB official site