Åhman and Hellvig lead European trio to the podium in João Pessoa
Beach Pro Tour
Two-time continental champions David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig led another European medal sweep on the 2023 Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour, standing at the top of the podium in the João Pessoa Elite16 event that came to an end on Sunday in Brazil.
Flanked by Italians Paolo Nicolai and Samuele Cottafava and Dutch Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot, the Swedish stars shone the brightest as European men’s teams secured their sixth podium sweep in nine Elite16 events held in 2023.
Åhman and Hellvig, who won three Beach Pro Tour golds besides the European title this season, faced Cottafava and Nicolai in their final duel in João Pessoa – the teams had met in one of the most spectacular matches of the 2023 CEV EuroBeachVolley, in the semifinals.
Dominant from start to finish, the Swedish topped the Italians in straight sets (21-11, 21-18) to take the title and complete a perfect week in Brazil, in which they won all their six matches while dropping just three sets.
David Åhman"We really enjoyed playing here in João Pessoa and today was the first time we had the fans by our side since we weren't playing a Brazilian team."
Swedish Beach Volleyball Player
De Groot, who took silver at the EuroBeachVolley with Leon Luini, and Boermans completed the European podium in João Pessoa by beating the home team of Andre Loyola and George Wanderley also in two sets (21-15, 21-19) in the bronze medal match. It was the second Beach Pro Tour medal won by the two in 2023, following silver at the La Paz Challenge back in March.
In the women’s event, Europe managed to progress four teams to the quarterfinals, but none of them made it to the medal rounds – France’s Lézana Placette/Alexia Richard, Germany’s Svenja Müller/Cinja Tillmann, Latvia’s Tina Graudina/Anastasija Samoilova and the Netherlands’ Katja Stam/Raisa Schoon. The title was won by Brazil’s Eduarda ‘Duda’ Lisboa and Ana Patrícia Ramos.
The tournament in João Pessoa was the last Elite16 of the year on the Beach Pro Tour, but the season continues next week with a Challenge event in Nuvali, the Philippines.