At the recent NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour event in Manzanillo, Mexico, teams from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Canada secured four out of six available medals, thanks in part to the support from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment coaching programs. The home crowd cheered as Mexico`s Jose Angel Cardenas and Jorman Osuna claimed gold in the men`s category, while Susana Torres and Atenas Gutierrez earned bronze for Mexico in the women`s competition. Puerto Rico`s Maria Gonzalez and Allanis Navas triumphed with the women`s gold medal. Canada`s Robert Kemp and Cameron Chadwick clinched the men`s silver. Completing the men`s podium, Julian Araya and Jhostin Varela of Costa Rica took home the bronze, while Canadian duo Darby Dunn and Mikayla Law-Heese secured the women`s silver.
FIVB Volleyball Empowerment has significantly contributed to the development of national teams in Mexico, providing a total of $1,328,000 in coaching support for both beach and indoor volleyball, alongside $23,000 for beach volleyball equipment. Mexican men`s beach volleyball pairs train with Argentinean coach Ruben Barrera`s team, while the women`s teams benefit from the expertise of Brazilian instructor Reis Castro. Similarly, Puerto Rico`s beach volleyball program has received $168,000 in coaching funds and $17,500 in equipment from FIVB Empowerment, with Coach Angel Pena overseeing their teams. Volleyball Canada`s men`s beach duos also receive substantial support, with $168,000 allocated for coaching under the guidance of NextGen coach Josh Nichol.
Men`s Tournament Highlights
Despite a pool play loss that placed them second in their group, Mexico’s 10th-seeded duo, Cardenas and Osuna, mounted an impressive comeback. They first overcame their top-seeded compatriots, Antonio Lares and Carlos Andres Ayala, in a challenging three-set quarterfinal. Their path to the championship continued with a narrow 2-0 (26-24, 21-19) semifinal victory against Costa Rica`s Araya and Varela, culminating in a dominant 2-0 (21-16, 21-19) win over Canada`s Kemp and Chadwick in the final match, securing the continental trophy.
The third-seeded Canadian team experienced their sole defeat of the tournament in the final. They had dominated their pool play, winning every match without conceding a set, and advanced to the final through two hard-fought tie-breaker victories in the playoffs. Their semi-final performance included a remarkable 2-1 (13-21, 21-16, 15-10) comeback win against the second-seeded American duo, Timothy Brewster and Ryan Ierna, which earned them a podium finish.
In the battle for bronze, the fifth-seeded Costa Rican pair, Araya and Varela, also defeated the American team with a decisive 2-0 (21-16, 21-16) victory, earning them a well-deserved medal.
Women`s Tournament Highlights
The fourth-seeded Puerto Rican duo of Gonzalez and Navas showcased incredible resilience, overcoming three tie-breakers across their five matches to secure the women`s gold in Manzanillo. Their challenging journey included a thrilling semi-final against the top-seeded Mexican team, Torres and Gutierrez, where they rallied from a set down to claim a narrow 2-1 (20-22, 21-19, 15-13) win. In the gold medal match, the Puerto Ricans faced the third-seeded Canadians, Dunn and Law-Heese, ultimately prevailing 2-1 (21-15, 18-21, 15-12) to stand atop the podium.
After their single defeat in the tournament, Torres and Gutierrez of Mexico quickly rebounded in the third-place playoff. They delivered a commanding 2-0 (21-15, 21-19) victory over Canada’s eighth-seeded pair, Akash Grewal and Katarina Pantovic, to clinch the bronze medal.
Earlier, in an all-Canadian semi-final, Dunn and Law-Heese secured their spot in the gold medal match by defeating their compatriots Grewal and Pantovic with a decisive 2-0 (21-11, 21-19) sweep, earning them the silver medals.
The Manzanillo event saw participation from 13 men`s and nine women`s teams, representing nations including Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago, and the USA.
The 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour will continue its schedule with its seventh stop, remaining in Mexico, but relocating to Guadalajara for an event scheduled from September 5 to 7.
