Olympic gold medalist Alison Cerutti is set to conclude his distinguished career in beach volleyball after participating in a series of final domestic events in Brazil and the United States.
Alison Cerutti, widely regarded as one of beach volleyball`s most successful and dominant blockers, has revealed that his illustrious career will draw to a close within the next three months.
The 39-year-old veteran, a gold medalist at the Rio 2016 Olympics, plans to compete in two events on the American AVP League circuit and one on the Brazilian Tour before retiring from the sport he has dedicated two decades of his life to.
Known as `The Mammoth` throughout his career, the Espírito Santo native, Alison, is set to be remembered as one of the sport`s all-time greatest. He represented Brazil in three Olympic Games, achieving significant success with partners like Bruno Schmidt, Emanuel Rego, Harley Marques, and Álvaro Filho. His Olympic medals include a gold in Rio with Bruno, a silver in London 2012 alongside Emanuel, and a fifth-place finish in Tokyo 2020 with Álvaro.
Reflecting on his journey, Cerutti stated, “I have been incredibly happy, far beyond what I ever imagined. Looking back, I feel immense pride in all my career accomplishments and the choices I made. I am profoundly grateful for every experience beach volleyball has offered me – not just the triumphs, but also the friendships, unique experiences, invaluable opportunities, and personal growth.”
Standing at 2.03 meters, the formidable Brazilian blocker, renowned for his physical dominance, also secured two FIVB World Championship titles. He claimed gold in Rome in 2011 with Emanuel and again in The Hague in 2015, partnered with Bruno.
Throughout his career, Alison competed in 152 international events, achieving a podium finish in 61 of them. His impressive medal tally includes 28 golds, 18 silvers, and 15 bronzes. His most recent outing on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour was in April 2023, where he finished 19th in a Challenge event in Saquarema, Brazil, playing alongside Oscar Guimarães.
While Alison will participate in two upcoming AVP events in the United States, his farewell tournament will be particularly significant: a Brazilian Tour event held on the iconic sands of Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, from October 1-5, where he will play with his partner Juca.
He emphasized the importance of his final venue, stating, “Copacabana holds a very special place in my heart; it`s the `Maracanã` of beach volleyball.” He continued, “It`s where I competed in some of the most pivotal tournaments of my career and where I achieved Olympic gold. My goal for these final competitions is to perform well and savor my remaining moments as a professional athlete. Afterward, I plan to dedicate time to my family and watch my children grow, though I don`t envision myself completely leaving the sport. We`ll see what the future holds.”
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick