The sands of Palau recently hosted the thrilling conclusion of the Pacific Mini Games beach volleyball tournament, where teams from Australia and Vanuatu demonstrated exceptional form to claim the coveted gold medals. The competition, a key highlight of the games, featured intense matchups and showcased the growing talent within the Pacific region.
Vanuatu Women`s Dominance
In the women`s division, the duo of Majabelle Lawac and Sherysyn Toko from Vanuatu delivered a performance of remarkable consistency. Entering the tournament as the second seed, they navigated their path to the final without dropping a single set across four matches. This included a decisive 2-0 victory (21-14, 21-14) in the semi-finals against Austia Mendiola and Kristen Serrano of Guam. The gold medal match pitted them against the third-seeded Australian pair, Jasmine Rayner and Kayla Mears. In a hard-fought contest, Lawac and Toko maintained their composure to secure a 2-0 win (22-20, 21-18), capping an undefeated run and bringing gold back to Vanuatu.
The Australian pair of Rayner and Mears, who had also enjoyed a perfect streak of straight-set victories leading up to the final, claimed the silver medal. Their path included a 2-0 semi-final win (21-13, 21-11) over Gladys Pressence and Tekela Fiafialoto from Wallis & Futuna. The bronze medal match saw Guam`s Mendiola and Serrano defeat Pressence and Fiafialoto 2-0 (21-14, 21-16) to complete the women`s podium.
Australian Men`s Gold Standard
Not to be outdone, Australia also secured a gold medal in the men`s beach volleyball event. The second-seeded team of Finley Bennett and Jed Walker mirrored Vanuatu`s women`s achievement by also completing the tournament without losing a set. Their dominant run involved six consecutive straight-set victories. The semi-final saw them overcome Sakiusa Naivana Vaka and Wilisoni Loga of Fiji with a clear 2-0 scoreline (21-10, 21-11). The final challenge came from Logan Jon Mister and Andrew Scott Johnson representing the Northern Mariana Islands.
The gold medal match was a tighter affair than the scoreline might suggest, but Bennett and Walker held firm to clinch the title with a 2-0 victory (21-18, 21-18). Mister and Johnson`s journey to the final included a tense three-set semi-final win (21-18, 19-21, 15-13) against Hevanoa Vaki and Rautini Cary of Tahiti. Fiji`s Vaka and Loga rebounded from their semi-final loss to secure the bronze medal, defeating Vaki and Cary 2-0 (21-12, 21-19) in the third-place playoff.
The Role of Dedicated Support
The success of both the Vanuatu and Australian beach volleyball programs at these games can be linked, in part, to sustained support initiatives. Both federations have benefitted from significant investment focused on coaching and development. For instance, Vanuatu`s teams have been working under the guidance of experienced international coaches, contributing to their high level of performance. Similarly, Volleyball Australia`s beach program has received substantial backing to support national team coaching staff, including experienced personnel and former Olympians. Such structured support often proves crucial in elevating regional talent to international competitive standards, as evidenced by the podium finishes in Palau.
Beyond the Sand: Indoor Volleyball Highlights
While beach volleyball captured significant attention, the indoor volleyball tournaments also delivered exciting results. In the men`s competition, Wallis & Futuna proved unstoppable, sweeping the field with six consecutive 3-0 victories en route to the gold medal. They defeated Papua New Guinea in the final after overcoming Micronesia in the semi-finals. Tahiti secured the bronze medal.
The women`s indoor volleyball saw American Samoa emerge as champions in a hard-fought final. After an initial five-set loss early in the tournament, the team found their rhythm, winning five straight matches before facing Tahiti in a thrilling five-set gold medal showdown, which they ultimately won 3-2. Wallis & Futuna earned the bronze medal in the women`s indoor tournament, defeating Fiji in the third-place match.
The Pacific Mini Games in Palau successfully concluded the volleyball events, celebrating the achievements of teams across the region and highlighting the growing strength of beach and indoor volleyball in the Pacific.
Rupert Caldwell