The women’s national beach volleyball team of Kyrgyzstan and the women’s national volleyball team of Honduras, both supported by the FIVB through the Volleyball Empowerment programme, made it to the second highest steps of the podiums at zonal competitions this week – the AVC Continental Cup Central Zone event in Bangladesh and the AFECAVOL Central American Cup in Nicaragua. A Kyrgyzstani women’s pair also took bronze at the CAVA Beach Volleyball Tour event in Bangladesh.
AVC Continental Cup – Central Zone – Beach volleyball
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan met in the women’s final (pictured in the main photo; credits: asianvolleyball.net) of the event at Cox’s Bazar Beach in Bangladesh, the last of several zonal tournaments making up Phase 1 of the AVC Beach Volleyball Continental Cup. Winners Kazakhstan advanced straight to Phase 3 (the Finals), while runners-up Kyrgyzstan moved to Phase 2, a five-team tournament, whose winner will also progress to the Finals, where a Paris 2024 Olympic ticket will be issued.
Kyrgyzstan’s beach volleyball has so far received CHF 18,000 worth of coach support through Volleyball Empowerment. To reach the coveted final in Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan won both meets of their quarterfinal tie with India, as well as both matches of their semifinal against Bangladesh. Starting directly from the semifinals, Kazakhstan swept their tie with Uzbekistan.
In the first match of the final, Kazakhstan’s Nadezhda Ivanchenko and Laura Kabulbekova claimed a 2-0 (21-11, 21-14) win over Kyrgyzstan’s Ogulai Kudaikulova and Adina Mamatzhan Kyzy. Then Alina Rachenko and Anastassiya Ukolova confirmed their team’s superiority with a 2-0 (21-9, 21-13) victory over Karina Kim and Roza Rasulbek Kyzy.
In the third-place tie, Uzbekistan achieved straight-set wins in both contests against Bangladesh. India finished fifth.
Iran won the men’s tournament to book a spot in the Finals after sweeping the first-place tie with India, who finished runners-up and advanced to Phase 2. Bahman Salemiinjehboroun and Sina Shokati Shekarsaraei opened the final with a 2-0 (21-15, 21-10) win over Nitin Kashinath Sawant and Rama Krishna Dhawaskar. Then Abbas Pourasgari and Alireza Aghajanighasab mastered a 2-0 (21-9, 21-7) victory over Barath Sonu and Robin Ravi.
Kazakhstan defeated hosts Bangladesh in the third-place tie, while Bhutan finished in fifth place.
CAVA Beach Volleyball Tour
Guided by Volleyball Empowerment coach Shailen Ramdoo, Kyrgyzstan’s Ogulai Kudaikulova and Aiturgan Aitbekova took the women’s bronze at the Central Asian Volleyball Association (CAVA) Beach Volleyball Tour event that ended on Friday, also in Bangladesh. In an all-Kyrgyzstani third-place match, they managed a narrow 2-0 (21-17, 23-21) win over compatriots Alina Garkushina and Roza Rasulbek Kyzy.
Both pairs lost their semifinal games after hard-fought three-set battles. India’s Janani Devendran and Pavithra Sudalaikasi squeezed out a 2-1 (13-21, 21-17, 16-14) victory over Kudaikulova and Aitbekova, while champions-to-be Malikabonu Olimova and Mukhlisakhon Jalolova of Uzbekistan produced a 2-1 (16-21, 21-9, 15-6) turnaround against Garkushina and Rasubek Kyzy. In the final, Olimova and Jalolova celebrated a 2-0 (21-18, 21-18) win over Janani and Pavithra.
In the men’s final, India’s Nittin Kashinath Sawant and Rama Krishna Dhawaskar mastered a 2-0 (21-19, 21-14) victory over Maldives’ Adam Naseem and Sajid Ismail. To reach the gold medal match, the Indians delivered a 2-0 (21-10, 21-17) sweep of their semifinal against compatriots Barath Sonu and Robin Ravi. The Maldives pair had a tight semifinal against Bangladesh’s Horosit Biswas and Sheikh Shihab Ahmed, but also won it in straight sets, 2-0 (21-19, 27-25). India took the bronze as well, with Barath and Ravi claiming a 2-0 (27-25, 21-19) win over Horosit and Ahmed in the third-place game.
AFECAVOL Women’s Central American Senior Cup – Volleyball
Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua, in that order, lined up on the podium at the AFECAVOL Women’s Volleyball Central American Senior Cup that finished on Tuesday in Managua. Costa Rica went through the seven-team single round-robin tournament undefeated, dropping only three sets in six matches played.
Honduras, whose women’s national team has so far received CHF 45,000 in Volleyball Empowerment coach support, also reached the last competition day unbeaten. In Tuesday’s deciding match and de facto final of the tournament against Costa Rica, the opponents proved stronger to claim a 3-1 (17-25, 25-17, 25-12, 25-18) victory and the gold, leaving the Hondurans with silver. While it was Costa Rica’s 16th consecutive and 19th overall Central American title, Honduras had not reached the podium since 1997.
Hosts Nicaragua took the bronze, and El Salvador, Belize, Guatemala and Panama, in that order, followed down the final standings table.
Honduras’ middle blocker Ana Marcelin was awarded the Best Scorer of the championship, while Costa Rica’s outside hitter and captain Marcela Araya was honoured as the Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Both were also named on the tournament’s Dream Team along with setter Marisol Sanchez (El Salvador), opposite Lolette Rodriguez (Nicaragua), outside Nelissa Ramirez (Belize), middle Nissan Martinez (Belize), and libero Maria Castro (Costa Rica).
Maria Castro also took the Best Digger award. El Salvador’s Carmen Chavez was recognised as the Best Receiver, while Andrea Santa Cruz of Guatemala claimed the prize for Best Server.
Meanwhile, Kevanna Sebastian, a 25-year-old player from Belize, became an internet sensation after the tournament in Nicaragua. Her use of sunglasses during the competition, as a result of a vision problem, attracted much attention and gained considerable praise. With the glasses, Kevanna can continue to play for her country without any side effects, and with this, has become a fantastic role model for younger generations.
Source : FIVB
