Medal Haul for Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Canada at NORCECA Tour

At the recent NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour event in Manzanillo, Mexico, teams from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Canada collectively secured four of the six available medals. This success highlights the positive impact of coaching support received through the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program.

Mexican duo Jose Angel Cardenas and Jorman Osuna claimed gold in the men`s competition, much to the delight of the local fans. Their compatriots, Susana Torres and Atenas Gutierrez, earned the women`s bronze. Puerto Rico`s Maria Gonzalez and Allanis Navas secured the women`s gold medal, while Canadian pair Robert Kemp and Cameron Chadwick took home men`s silver. Costa Rica`s Julian Araya and Jhostin Varela completed the men`s podium with a bronze, and Darby Dunn and Mikayla Law-Heese of Canada won silver in the women`s event.

The achievements of these teams are partly attributed to significant investments from the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program. Mexico`s national volleyball and beach volleyball teams have received a total of USD 1,328,000 in coaching support, alongside USD 23,000 in equipment. The Mexican men`s beach volleyball teams train under Argentinean coach Ruben Barrera, while the women`s teams are guided by Brazilian instructor Reis Castro. Puerto Rico`s volleyball federation has also benefited, with USD 168,000 in coaching support and USD 17,500 in equipment for their national beach volleyball duos, coached by Angel Pena. Similarly, Volleyball Canada`s men`s beach volleyball program has received USD 168,000 in coaching support, with their NextGen duos training under coach Josh Nichol.

Men’s Competition Highlights

The men`s gold medalists, Mexico`s Cardenas and Osuna, seeded 10th, overcame an initial pool play loss. Their impressive path to victory included a surprising three-set quarterfinal win against top-seeded compatriots Antonio Lares and Carlos Andres Ayala. They then secured their spot in the final with a close 2-0 (26-24, 21-19) semifinal triumph over Costa Rica`s Araya and Varela, ultimately clinching gold with a 2-0 (21-16, 21-19) final score against Canada`s Kemp and Chadwick.

The third-seeded Canadian pair, Kemp and Chadwick, suffered their sole defeat in the final. They had an impressive run, dominating their pool without losing a set and advancing to the final after two tie-breaker wins in the playoffs. A notable 2-1 (13-21, 21-16, 15-10) comeback victory against the second-seeded American duo Timothy Brewster and Ryan Ierna in the semifinals ensured their podium finish.

Costa Rica`s Araya and Varela, seeded fifth, secured the men`s bronze medal by convincingly defeating the American team 2-0 (21-16, 21-16) in the third-place match.

Men’s results and standings: Please refer to official NORCECA Tour records for full details.

Women’s Competition Highlights

In the women`s competition, fourth-seeded Maria Gonzalez and Allanis Navas of Puerto Rico showcased remarkable resilience, winning three tie-breaker matches on their way to gold. Their semifinal clash against top-seeded Mexicans Torres and Gutierrez was a thrilling affair, with the Puerto Rican pair battling back from a set down for a 2-1 (20-22, 21-19, 15-13) victory. They continued their strong performance in the final, securing the gold medal with a 2-1 (21-15, 18-21, 15-12) win over Canada`s third-seeded Darby Dunn and Mikayla Law-Heese.

Mexico`s Torres and Gutierrez, after their sole defeat in the semifinals, rebounded strongly to claim the bronze medal. They defeated the eighth-seeded Canadian duo Akash Grewal and Katarina Pantovic 2-0 (21-15, 21-19) in the third-place playoff.

Earlier, in an all-Canadian semifinal, Dunn and Law-Heese secured their silver medal spot by defeating their compatriots Grewal and Pantovic with a decisive 2-0 (21-11, 21-19) victory.

Women’s results and standings: Please refer to official NORCECA Tour records for full details.

The Manzanillo event saw participation from 13 men`s teams and nine women`s teams, representing Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago, and the USA. The NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour`s seventh stop for the 2025 season will remain in Mexico, moving to Guadalajara from September 5 to 7.