Volleyball Empowerment support continues to fuel success on international stage

National volleyball and beach volleyball teams supported by FIVB Volleyball Empowerment continue to achieve remarkable results at continental volleyball and beach volleyball tournaments around the world. Over the past week, beneficiaries of the programme were awarded medals in the NORCECA XVI Men’s Senior Pan American Volleyball Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico, the AVC Beach Tour in Penghu, Chinese Taipei and the CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championships in Riga, Latvia.

NORCECA Pan American Cup - men's volleyball

The men’s national volleyball team of Chile won their first ever medal in the Pan American Cup on Sunday, beating home-team Mexico 3-0 (25-22, 25-25, 25-2) to take third place in the XVI Men’s Senior Pan American Volleyball Cup. The Chilean team has so far been granted CHF 90,000 of coach support through Volleyball Empowerment.

Daniel Nejamkin, coach of Chile, said: “We are very happy, surely the best game of the tournament against a super demanding rival and great team like Mexico. Obviously, we wanted to win, but 3-0 was not in the plans, so the goal was achieved better than expected.”

The gold medal was awarded to Canada after they beat Brazil 3-1 (26-24, 25-20, 25-23, 25-22) in the final in Guadalajara. Canada’s opposite hitter Isaac Heslinga was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament. He was top scorer for his team in almost every match of the tournament and scored 14 points to lead Canada to victory in the gold medal match.

AVC Beach Tour in Penghu - men’s and women’s beach volleyball

In the men’s competition of the AVC Beach Tour in Penghu, Volleyball Empowerment supported sides dominated the podium, with Brad Fuller and Alani Nicklin from New Zealand taking the silver medal and Thailand’s Pithak Tipjan and Poravid Taovato securing the bronze. Fuller and Nicklin just missed out on gold after losing to Australia’s Mark Nicolaidis and Izac Carracher 2-1 (15-21, 21-13, 15-13) in the final.

The bronze medallists from Thailand overcame Kosuke Fukushima and Hiroki Dylan Kurokawa of Japan in a 2-1 (21-14, 21-23, 18-16) contest to complete the podium.

To date, New Zealand has received CHF 285,000 in support over various projects, including coach support and equipment distribution. Similarly, CHF 144,000 has been invested in coach support for Thailand’s beach volleyball national teams.

In the women’s tournament, Japan claimed both gold and silver after Miki Ishii and Sayaka Mizoe managed a straight set 2-0 (21-18, 21-16) win over fellow Japanese pair Hasegawa Akiko and Sakaguchi Yurika.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Georgia Johnson and Jasmine Fleming scooped bronze after overcoming Vanuatu’s Majabelle Lawac and Sherysyn Toko 2-0 (21-13, 21-11) in the third-place match. It was an impressive effort from the Vanuatu pair, who are also supported by Volleyball Empowerment via a CHF 150,000 coach support project.

CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championships - men’s and women’s beach volleyball

Volleyball Empowerment support proved invaluable at the CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championships in Riga, with French pair Arthur Canet and Téo Rotar soaring to a 2-0 (26-24, 21-15) victory against Austria’s Timo Hammarberg and Tim Berger in the men’s final. Kristians Fokerots and Olivers Bulgacs from Latvia completed the podium in the men’s competition, in a 2-1 (19-21, 21-14, 15-9) win over Polish duo Filip Lejawa and Szymon Beta.

French beach volleyball has received significant coach support via Volleyball Empowerment, totalling CHF 590,000, with the aim of raising the level of its national teams ahead of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

In the women’s tournament, Poland, Switzerland and Czechia earned silverware, with Malgorzata Ciezkowska and Urszula Lunio of Poland taking the top spot after a 2-1 (21-17, 13-21, 15-11) win over Swiss pair Muriel Bossart and Leona Kernen. Anna and Katerina Pavelková of Czechia secured the bronze medal after a 2-0 (21-11, 21-17) win over Lia Berger and Lilli Hohenauer of Austria.