Best of the best beach volleyballers in action on the Grand Parade

fuad Esack|Published 2 years ago

SAs Grant Goldschmidt a hit with the young crowd at the weekend’s Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite16.

The Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite16 took place on the Grand Parade in the Cape Town CBD at the weekend.

The event will mark the return of elite international beach volleyball to South Africa for the first time since December 2014, when Mangaung hosted a men-only FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour event.

Cape Town has staged three World Tour tournaments in the past, in 1995, 2004 and 2005, with the first two only reuniting male players and the most recent one welcoming teams from both genders.

Team SA’s Goldschmidt and Leo Williams finished in 9th place overall.

SA’s Tamlyn Thomas and Tatiana Somopolous finished in 16th place in the women’s division. The men’s gold medal went to Anders Mol and Christian Sørum, the Norwegian reigning Olympic and world champions. It was a 2-0 (21-19, 21-19) win over Swedish rising stars David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig in the final. Qataris Cherif Younousse and Cherif Ahmed took bronze.

Brazilians Talita Antunes and Thamela Coradello claimed their first victory as partners on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour, beating Americans Sarah Sponcil and Terese Cannon in the gold medal match.

Fellow Brazilians and world champions Eduarda ‘Duda’ Lisboa and Ana Patricia Ramos won bronze.

Team SA’s Leo Williams keeps his eye on the ball during the weekend’s Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite16 championships on the Grand Parade

SA men’s volleball team Grant Goldschmidt looks to go for the smash during a group stage match at the weekend’s Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite16 on the Grand Parade in the Cape Town CBD. Goldschmidt competed in the 2005 World Tour event in Cape Town and partnered with SA team mate Leo Williams at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year.

SA men’s volleball team Leo Williams and Grant Goldschmidt in action at the weekend’s Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite16 on the Grand Parade in the Cape Town CBD. Goldschmidt competed in the 2005 World Tour event in Cape Town and partnered with Williams at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year.

Team SA’s Tamlyn Thomas and Tatiana Simopoulos enter the arena ahead of their match against eventual third-placed finishers, Brazil’s Eduarda ‘Duda’ Lisboa and Ana Patricia Ramos at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite16.

Cape Town’s Tamlyn Thomas partnered with Tatiana Simopoulos in the women’s competition at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite16.

SA’s Tamlyn Thomas reaches to return the ball during a group match against third-placed finishers, Brazil’s Eduarda ‘Duda’ Lisboa and Ana Patricia Ramos at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite16.