Jordyn Scribner and Ella Grimes clinched the gold medal at the U18 World Beach Volleyball Championship, remaining undefeated and winning every set. Another US team, Avery and Addison Junk, secured the silver in the all-American final.
The United States has once again claimed the FIVB Beach Volleyball Under 18 World Championship title. Jordyn Scribner and Ella Grimes emerged victorious, defeating the twin sisters Avery and Addison Junk in a straight-sets all-American final held at the Al Gharafa courts in Doha on Saturday. This victory ensures the USA maintains the title previously won by Myriah Massey and Lily Davis in Shangluo, China, last year, when the competition was for the Under-19 age group. Meanwhile, Belgium`s Lente Thant and Simone Vervloet earned the bronze medal after a hard-fought three-set match against Esmee Radstake and Jara Both of the Netherlands in the third-place playoff.
With this gold medal, the USA, through Scribner and Grimes, now stands alongside Brazil as the most successful nation in the girls` Under 18 category, each holding four titles.
Scribner and Grimes` impressive journey to the gold medal saw them dominate the all-American final, winning 2-0 (21-13, 24-22) against the Junk sisters. Their flawless performance included nine consecutive wins, notably without dropping a single set throughout the entire tournament, even starting from the qualification rounds.
“From the moment we began in qualification, we promised ourselves we wouldn`t give up without a fight. We battled for every point, and I`m incredibly happy with how everything unfolded. Our goal was to win, and we achieved it,” expressed Scribner.
Grimes added, “We both dedicated so much effort to reach this point. While the Junk sisters are our friends, we knew we had to bring our A-game once we stepped onto the court. Our teamwork was strong, we fought for every point, and I`m absolutely thrilled with our victory.”
The Junk sisters had reached the final with an impeccable 6-0 record, including a 2-1 (18-21, 21-09, 15-10) semi-final triumph over Esmee Radstake and Jara Both of the Netherlands. However, they experienced their first defeat of the competition in the intense final against their compatriots.
Addison Junk commented, “We are thankful for the opportunity to compete in such a prestigious final, but we weren`t at our peak today. They were the superior team, and we`re pleased that the USA successfully defended the title.”
In the battle for third place, Belgium`s Lente Thant and Simone Vervloet bounced back to defeat the Netherlands` Esmee Radstake and Jara Both with a 2-1 scoreline (21-08, 18-21, 15-08), securing Belgium`s first-ever bronze medal in this junior competition.
The Belgian pair had enjoyed a five-match winning streak before their 2-0 (19-21, 20-22) semi-final loss to the eventual champions, Scribner and Grimes – their only loss of the tournament. This bronze medal marks their second significant international achievement, having also finished third at this year`s European Championship.
Simone Vervloet of Belgium reflected, “We started the match feeling great and applied significant pressure on the Netherlands, which paid off. The second set was close, but we lost it. We then decided to give our absolute all in the third set, as it was our final match of the year. We managed to create a lead, felt more relaxed, began to truly enjoy the game, and ultimately secured the win. We`ve worked incredibly hard this year, enduring moments of disappointment during training and tournaments, but we persevered. Winning bronze at the World Championship feels truly incredible.”
Oliver Wrenwick