Countries supported by the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program, Mexico and Puerto Rico, had a strong showing at the recent NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour event in Puerto Cortes, Honduras. Mexico secured three out of the six medals awarded: gold and bronze in the men`s tournament and silver in the women`s. Puerto Rico, also an Empowerment beneficiary, claimed the women`s gold medal. The United States took home the men`s silver and women`s bronze.
The Mexican Volleyball Federation has received significant support from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment, totaling USD 1,466,000 to date. A substantial part of this funding is dedicated to coaching support for their national beach volleyball teams, complemented by USD 23,000 for equipment. Argentina`s Ruben Barrera coaches the Mexican men`s teams, while Brazil`s Reis Castro guides the women`s teams. The Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation`s beach volleyball efforts have been bolstered by USD 168,000 in coach support and USD 17,500 in equipment through the FIVB program. Angel Pena serves as the coach for the Puerto Rican teams.
Women`s Tournament Summary
In the women`s event, 23-year-old Allanis Navas and Maria Gonzalez of Puerto Rico secured their second straight NORCECA Tour gold medal, following their victory in Juan Dolio in May. This win adds to their impressive Tour record, which now includes six gold, six silver, and three bronze medals. As the top seeds, the Puerto Rican duo dominated the Puerto Cortes tournament with seven consecutive wins. The only set they dropped throughout the competition was the second set in their 2-1 (21-8, 18-21, 15-11) semifinal win against the fourth-seeded American pair, Emma Donley and Portia Sherman. In the final match, Navas and Gonzalez defeated the second-seeded Mexican team, Susana Torres and Atenas Gutierrez, with a decisive 2-0 (21-16, 21-17) score.
Mexico`s Torres and Gutierrez had a strong performance leading up to the final, winning all five of their matches without dropping a set. Their path included a 2-0 (21-15, 21-19) semifinal victory over Canada`s fifth-seeded Maya McNabney and Emma Kunaus. This silver medal marks their eighth overall NORCECA medal, consisting of seven silvers (including three this season) and one bronze, as they continue their pursuit of a continental gold.
The bronze medal match saw Donley and Sherman of the USA overcome McNabney and Kunaus of Canada in a 2-1 (21-18, 16-21, 15-9) contest.
Men`s Tournament Summary
In the men`s tournament, the 14th-seeded Mexican pair, Antonio Lares and Carlos Andres Ayala, made an impressive run to the gold medal, dropping only two sets across seven matches in Honduras. Their semifinal saw a hard-fought 2-1 (29-27, 25-27, 15-7) victory, upsetting their top-seeded compatriots Miguel Sarabia and Jorman Osuna. Lares and Ayala then secured the gold by sweeping the final against the 13th-seeded American team, Troy Field and Ryan Wilcox, with a 2-0 (21-17, 21-18) score. This is their first NORCECA gold and second medal overall, adding to their bronze from Juan Dolio. In the other men`s semifinal, Field and Wilcox defeated their second-seeded countrymen, James Drost and Robert Harrison, 2-0 (21-16, 21-18).
Sarabia and Osuna recovered from their semifinal loss to win the bronze medal match against Drost and Harrison in a 2-1 (16-21, 21-18, 15-13) comeback. This bronze is their third NORCECA medal as a team, complementing their two previous gold medals on the Tour.
The tournament in Puerto Cortes featured a total of 17 women`s teams and 19 men`s teams, representing 13 different national federations.
The next event on the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, the fourth stop, is scheduled to take place in Madero, Mexico, from July 11 to 13.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood