Retamar, Alas’ ace setter, breaks ground as Euro import

Owa Retamar will start living his dream of playing in Europe as he left for Azerbaijan on Friday where he starts a new chapter in his professional volleyball life with the Ordu Sports Club.

It will be a groundbreaking stint when the 2026-2027 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup (European Cup) is played from November to April as Retamar becomes the first Filipino to ever play in Europe.

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“It’s really fulfilling to see that the young Owa who dreamed in high school of playing in Europe is finally getting this opportunity,” Retamar told the Inquirer in Filipino.

As the first Filipino to play in Europe, the Alas Pilipinas setter carries the responsibility of proving that players from the Philippines are world-class.

“I just need to stay focused on what I want to achieve and show other countries that Filipinos are not to be underestimated when it comes to sports,” said Retamar.

With the big responsibility he has, the 26-year-old playmaker got the experience he needed after leading Visakha VC to a runner-up finish in the Techo Volleyball Cambodia League in the previous month. Early this year, he won bronze in Cambodia in the 4th Sar Kheng Cup.

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Last year, Retamar shone in Alas Pilipinas’ historic debut in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship and helped the country return to the podium with a bronze medal in the Thailand Southeast Asian Games.

“Everything I experienced in Cambodia and at the World Championships helped me—not just as a player, but as a person,” Retamar said. “I learned how to adjust, how to deal with different personalities, and how to adapt to the culture of every place I go to.

“Now that I’m moving to Azerbaijan, I know I’ll be tested again, and I’m excited to experience it.”

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Retamar, who was a rookie in the Philippines’ historic silver-medal finish in the 2019 SEA Games, is determined to become more consistent, as he takes on a new challenge.

“The biggest challenge for me is consistency, and I know this tournament will be another learning experience for me,” said the two-time UAAP Finals MVP and Best Setter out of National University.