Hungarian duo Artur Hajos & Bence Attila Streli and German pair Sandra Ferger & Rika Dieckmann secured silver medals at the recent Bujumbura Futures, benefiting from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment support. Meanwhile, Brazil`s Gabriel Zuliani & Nicolas Capretti Schosler and Slovenia`s Tajda Lovsin & Ziva Javornik achieved their maiden gold medals on the Beach Pro Tour in Burundi. The bronze medals were claimed by American teams, James Avery Drost & Robert Wyatt Harrison and Jade Race & Katie Lindstrom.
The Hungarian Volleyball Federation received USD 126,000 in coach support through FIVB Volleyball Empowerment for its men`s beach volleyball teams, who train under Polish coach Robert Zuchowski. An additional USD 6,000 was allocated for a national team coach development program. Seventh-seeded Hungarians Artur Hajos & Bence Attila Streli advanced to the Bujumbura final by upsetting second-seeded Americans James Avery Drost & Robert Wyatt Harrison with a 2-0 (26-24, 21-14) semifinal victory. This secured their second Beach Pro Tour podium, following a silver at the 2023 Cervia Futures. Despite a strong run, Hajos & Streli ultimately took silver after falling to Gabriel Zuliani & Nicolas Capretti Schosler in the final match.
Brazilian newcomers Gabriel Zuliani & Nicolas Capretti Schosler, both 23, celebrated a perfect debut on the Beach Pro Tour, winning seven consecutive matches from qualifications to claim their first gold medal. Seeded 16th in the main draw, the duo surprised many with their path to victory in Bujumbura. They defeated third-seeded Takumi Takahashi & Jumpei Ikeda of Japan 2-0 (21-11, 21-17) in the semifinals and secured the gold with a dominant 2-0 (21-15, 21-14) win against the Hungarian pair in the final.
In their inaugural appearance as a team on the Beach Pro Tour, Drost & Harrison earned a bronze medal by securing a 2-0 (21-15, 21-12) victory over Takahashi & Ikeda in the third-place playoff.
The German Volleyball Federation`s beach volleyball program received USD 168,000 in coach support from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment, with national teams training under the guidance of former European champion and Olympian Christoph Dieckmann. Germany`s Sandra Ferger & Rika Dieckmann, seeded ninth in the women`s main draw at Bujumbura, achieved their first-ever Beach Pro Tour podium by reaching the final undefeated with four straight-set wins. In the semifinals, Ferger (34, making her Tour debut) and Dieckmann`s 16-year-old niece Rika (in her second Tour appearance) defeated USA`s Jade Race & Katie Lindstrom 2-0 (21-11, 21-15), ultimately securing silver after a loss to Tajda Lovsin & Ziva Javornik in the gold medal match.
Slovenia`s Tajda Lovsin & Ziva Javornik also claimed their first Beach Pro Tour gold medal. The third-seeded Slovenian pair advanced to the Bujumbura women`s final without dropping a set in three matches, capping their flawless run with a dominant 2-0 (21-11, 21-6) semifinal win against second-seeded Mahassine Siad & Dina Mellal of Morocco. In the final, Lovsin & Javornik triumphed over the German duo with a 2-1 (21-10, 17-21, 15-12) victory, marking their second Beach Pro Tour podium, having previously won bronze at the Cervia Futures.
Making their debut as a team, fourth-seeded Americans Race & Lindstrom secured the bronze medal by winning a thrilling 2-1 (25-27, 21-12, 16-14) match against Mahassine & Dina.
Oliver Wrenwick 
Finley Blackwood