Sport Preview: Beach Volleyball

A beach fiesta will be in store from Tuesday 28 November to Saturday 2 December at the SIFF Academy in Honiara as the Sol2023 Pacific Games beach volleyball competition attracts fans aplenty to the sandy courts.

A total of 29 teams across the men and women’s events will play more than 70 matches for a chance to win gold for their respective countries.

The men’s competition will feature 17 pairs where all teams will go forward to a seeded, single elimination final series to determine who plays for medals.

The women’s competition will feature 12 pairs with the top eight going into the quarter-finals.

Vanuatu’s Sherysyn Toko will be looking to defend her gold medal from four years ago, this time paired with Majabelle Lawac. They come into the tournament as the top ranked side, and both recently participated in the International Federation of Volleyball (FIVB) Pro Tour Challenge in Thailand in preparation for this year’s Pacific Games.

The silver medallists at the last Pacific Games were Tahiti’s pair of Vaihere Fareura and Emere Maau, while American Samoa’ Litara Keli and Devaney Pula claimed bronze.

Australia, who were men’s gold medallists at the Samoa 2019 Pacific Games will once again be present and aiming to defend their title. New duo Ben Hood and D’Artagnan Potts will be looking to follow the path set by Tim Dickson and Marcus Ferguson in sealing gold for the land down under. Tahiti’s Terau Ena and Jeremie Paraue claimed silver last time, while Tonga’s Semisi Funaki and Tio Fonohema collected bronze.

Beach volleyball was first played at the Pacific Games in 1999, and this edition is the seventh time it has been contested.

The action begins at 11am on Tuesday.

Tickets are $30 and available at the Sol2023 ticketing booth at SIFF Academy.

By Timothy Inifiri Jnr, Pacific Games News Service