Beach Volleyball

Young stars from 34 countries compete in Mysłowice

U20 EuroBeachVolley

Article Tue, Jul 23 2024
Author: Guilherme Torres

The magnificent Polish city of Mysłowice, which has a long tradition of hosting youth and senior international beach volleyball events, will be the last stop of the age group continental championships in 2024 as it’s set to welcome the CEV U20 EuroBeachVolley this week, from Wednesday to Sunday.

Spain's Sofía Izuzquiza and Marta Carro won the U18 EuroBeachVolley last year

After the U22 age group played in Yalova, Türkiye, in June, and the U18 prospects battled in Kachreti, Georgia, two weeks ago, the most talented European players in the U20 category will challenge each other at the Słupna Park this week.

The tournament will reunite 68 teams (33 women’s, 35 men’s) from 34 countries – Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, Türkiye and Ukraine.

The tournament in Mysłowice will feature multiple age-group European champions of both genders. On the women’s side, Czech rising stars Katerina Pavelková and Anna Pavelková, who won the 2022 U18 EuroBeachVolley and the U22 continental title earlier this year, will be among the favorites to take gold as they attempt to complete their 'continental triple'.

After winning the U18 and U22 continental titles, the Czech Pavelková twins Anna and Katerina will try to triumph in the U20 age group

Last year’s U18 European champions, Spanish Sofía Izuzquiza and Marta Carro will also play in Poland, as well as Swiss Muriel Bossart and Leona Kernen, who won the title in 2021, and Austrians Lia Berger and Lilli Hohenauer, who claimed this year’s U22 title two weeks ago in Georgia.

CEV U20 EuroBeachVolley

On the men’s side, Latvians Kristians Fokerots and Gustavs Auziņš are probably the most accomplished team in the field. The two won the 2022 U18 European title, as well as the U19 world title in that same year.

Latvians Kristians Fokerots and Gustavs Auziņš won the U19 world title in 2022

Swedish Jacob Hölting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson, who earlier this year triumphed at the U22 EuroBeachVolley, will be among their main opponents this week in Poland. Nilsson also took gold at the 2022 U22 EuroBeachVolley, playing with Swedish star David Åhman.

The first day of action in Mysłowice will feature the qualifiers on both genders, where the last two spots in the main draw will be in play. Three duos will compete among the women – Kosovo’s Fjona Shala/Enda Xhakolli, Scotland’s Iona Bell/Alexandra Clegg-Mckeown and Azerbaijan’s Lizi Latsabidze/Sabine Alizada – and five among the men – Andorra’s Nahuel Tagliaferro/Gil Moliné, Scotland’s Ewan Ramsay/Cole Turnbull, Romania’s Iannis Alb/Radu Muresan, Kosovo’s Dilon Latifaj/Erind Qalaj and Azerbaijan’s Nariman Bayramli/Muhammad Aslanli.

After Wednesday’s qualifier, the main draws on both genders will be set, with 32 teams confirmed. The tournament continues with pool play, with the duos split into eight groups of four. The top team in each pool will advance directly to the Round of 16, with the second and third-placed sides going to the Round of 24. The medal matches will be played on Sunday.

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