Sister duo Anouk & Zoé Vergé-Dépré to compete in Ostrava

Swiss beach volleyball players Anouk and Zoé Vergé-Dépré will reunite on the sand at the Elite tournament in Ostrava this week. Returning to the site of last year’s Olympic showdown marks an emotional milestone in the sisters’ shared journey.

Ostrava holds a special place in their story: The last time the beach volleyball sisters Anouk and Zoé Vergé-Dépré played each other was a year ago in the qualifying round of the Elite 16 tournament. Anouk, 33, and her then-partner Joana Mäder won the head-to-head match, keeping their Olympic dream alive. But the joy didn't last long: the Tokyo 2021 bronze medalists were eliminated in pool play. And thus from the battle for an Olympic spot, as only two teams per nation were permitted in Paris 2024.

Instead, it was Anouk’s younger sister Zoé, 27, who qualified for the Olympic Games, alongside her then-partner Esmée Böbner, joining Nina Brunner and Tanja Hüberli as Switzerland’s Olympic representatives. Tears of frustration for one sister, tears of joy for the other – a bittersweet moment for the entire Vergé-Dépré family.

Now, the sisters return to Ostrava – not as rivals, but as teammates. "One year ago I was heartbroken, but then I made peace with the situation. And playing here with my sister now makes this tournament extra special", says Anouk. Zoé adds: "Now that we’re playing together, it’s challenging in different ways. We’re discovering a whole new side of each other."
Their shared goal? To compete as a team at the highest level. And in the long run: to create a new Olympic dream – together.