CAC Games medals earned with support from Volleyball Empowerment

Several teams benefiting from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment support made it to the podiums at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Salvador. The national team of the Dominican Republic won gold in the women’s volleyball competition. Mexico’s Miguel Sarabia and Juan Virgen snatched the trophy in the men’s beach volleyball tournament, while their compatriots Abril Flores and Atenas Gutierrez took the women’s bronze in the sand.

In the women’s indoor final on Saturday, the Dominicans mastered a 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-16) shutout of Puerto Rico to defend their title. Their players also picked up as many as eight individual awards. Middle blocker Jineiry Martinez was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament and also earned one of the spots on the Dream Team. Her sister, outside hitter Brayelin Martinez, the team’s other middle, Geraldine Gonzalez, setter Niverka Marte and opposite Gaila Gonzalez were also chosen among the perfect seven. Gaila Gonzalez was also named the best scorer of the competition, while libero Brenda Castillo (pictured in the main photo; credits: norceca.net) took the prize for best receiver.

MVP and Dream Team middle blocker Jineiry Martinez (Photo credits: norceca.net)

The Dominican Republic women’s national team has been receiving targeted coach support through the Volleyball Empowerment programme, amounting to a total of CHF 510,000 over three years so far.

Cuba managed a 3-0 (25-22, 28-26, 25-22) sweep of the third-place match against Colombia to win the bronze medals, but it was Colombia’s libero Juliana Toro, who took two individual awards - as a Dream team libero and as the best digger of the tournament. The remaining spot on the Dream Team went to outside hitter and silver medallist Elaine Vazquez of Puerto Rico, while Mexico’s Jocelyn Urias took the prize for best server.

Mexico’s Miguel Sarabia and Juan Virgen triumph as CAC Games champions (Photo credits: Photos-sansalvador2023.com)

A total of CHF 518,000 has been invested through Volleyball Empowerment in coach support for Mexico’s national teams in both volleyball and beach volleyball over the past few years. At the CAC Games in San Salvador, it paid off with their men’s pair Miguel Sarabia and Juan Virgen earning the country’s first men’s beach volleyball gold in the history of the competition, after four silvers and two bronzes from the previous editions.

After overcoming top-level rivals Noslen Diaz and Jorge Alayo of Cuba in a nail-biting 2-1 (21-23, 21-15, 26-24) semifinal, Sarabia and Virgen went on to take a 2-0 (21-10, 21-19) shutout of Nicaragua’s Ruben Mora and Jefferson Cascante in the gold medal match. The Cubans had to settle for bronze after a 2-0 (21-16, 21-14) sweep of the third-place match against Puerto Rico’s Kevin Rodriguez and Josue Rivera.

Mexico also took the bronze in the women’s tournament, after Abril Flores and Atenas Gutierrez mastered an emphatic 2-0 (21-16, 21-9) shutout of Cuba’s Yenifer Rivera and Amanda Armenteros in the third-place game. In the final for the title, Puerto Rico’s Maria Gonzalez and Allanis Navas achieved a hard-fought 2-1 (19-21, 21-11, 15-12) comeback against the Dominican Republic’s Julibeth Payano and Bethania Almanzar.

Mexico’s Abril Flores and Atenas Gutierrez during the bronze medal match in San Salvador (Photo credits: Photos-sansalvador2023.com)

Cuba won the men’s indoor gold after a 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-22) victory over the Dominican Republic in the final. The bronze went to Puerto Rico after a 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-14) shutout of Guatemala for third place.

Cuba’s Yonder Garcia was named MVP of the tournament. The Dream Team was made up setter Lyvan Taboada (Cuba), opposite Henry Tapia (Dominican Republic), outside hitters Pelegrin Vargas (Puerto Rico) and Josue Lopez (Mexico), middle blockers Jose Masso (Cuba) and Rafael Brugos (Dominican Republic) and libero Hiram Bravo (Mexico). Individual awards also went to Trinidad and Tobago’s Daynte Stewart for best scorer, Cuba’s Javier Concepcion for best server, Mexico’s Hiram Bravo for best digger and Puerto Rico’s Dennis Del Valle for best receiver.