Teams that have benefited from the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment coaching support demonstrated exceptional performance by securing all podium positions at the women’s Busan Gwangalli Futures stop on the Beach Pro Tour. Japan’s Ren Matsumoto and Non Matsumoto delivered a standout performance, clinching their second consecutive gold medal on the Tour, building on their previous success at the Qidong Futures in June. The silver medal was proudly claimed by Norway’s Nina Pavlova and Sunniva Helland-Hansen, while Czechia’s Anna Pospisilova and Daniela Mokra rounded off the impressive showing by securing the bronze in Korea.
This remarkable achievement underscores the significant impact of the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment funding. The Japan Volleyball Association’s beach volleyball division has received USD 84,000 in coaching support, enabling their national duos to work with acclaimed American coach Steve Anderson. Norges Volleyballforbund, the Norwegian national federation, has been allocated a substantial total of USD 252,000 in coaching assistance for their national beach volleyball teams, with Bendik Gabriel Huus overseeing the women’s duos. Additionally, Norway received USD 6,000 to facilitate a national team coaches’ development knowledge transfer program. Similarly, the Czech Volleyball Federation has benefited from USD 168,000 in coaching support for their women’s beach volleyball teams, complemented by an additional USD 24,000 for national team coach development knowledge transfer initiatives. Their women’s pairs are thriving under the expert guidance of Argentinean coach Sebastian Menegozzo.
Ren and Non Matsumoto’s dominant run to the gold medal in Busan Gwangalli was nearly flawless. They maintained an impeccable record of four consecutive straight-set victories, culminating in a decisive 2-0 (21-16, 21-15) win in their semifinal match against the sixth-seeded Czech pair of Anna Pospisilova and Daniela Mokra. The only set the Japanese duo conceded throughout the entire tournament was the opening set of the gold medal showdown against Nina Pavlova and Sunniva Helland-Hansen. However, they swiftly recovered, battling back to secure a 2-1 (17-21, 21-9, 15-11) victory, marking their second gold on the Beach Pro Tour. This adds to their existing collection of two silver medals on the Tour.
The seventh-seeded Norwegian team, Pavlova and Helland-Hansen, navigated a more challenging route to the final after an earlier loss in their pool winners’ match. In the semifinals, they delivered a strong performance, securing a 2-0 (21-15, 22-20) win against Majabelle Lawac and Sherysyn Toko of Vanuatu. This crucial victory earned the pair their first ever Beach Pro Tour medal, a particularly significant milestone for Pavlova in only her second appearance on the Tour, and also marking Helland-Hansen’s inaugural hardware on her Beach Pro Tour journey.
In the highly contested third-place match, Pospisilova and Mokra of Czechia emerged victorious after a hard-fought 2-1 (21-16, 18-21, 16-14) battle against Vanuatu’s Lawac and Toko, celebrating their first Beach Pro Tour podium finish as a pair.
The Busan Gwangalli Futures tournament saw participation from 25 women’s teams representing nine different countries, highlighting the event’s international appeal. Looking ahead, the next Futures events are scheduled to take place in Bujumbura, Burundi, from August 20 to 23, and in Brno, Czechia, from August 21 to 24.
Oliver Wrenwick 
Finley Blackwood