Gibraltar Wins Bronze at U19 Men’s Beach Volleyball Small Countries European Qualification Tournament

Gibraltar’s U19 Men’s Beach Volleyball programme celebrated a landmark achievement this weekend after securing the bronze medal at the U19 Men’s Beach Volleyball Small Countries European Qualification Tournament held in Andorra.
Both Gibraltar teams finished second in their respective groups, recording impressive victories over Ireland, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Liechtenstein, the Faroe Islands and one of the host nation, Andorra’s, teams. Their strong performances throughout the group stages earned both pairs a place in the semi-finals.
In an outstanding achievement, both Gibraltar teams progressed to the semi-finals, guaranteeing the association a place on the podium before facing each other in the bronze medal match. The bronze medal was won by Liam Neish and Mathew Ressa, while Gibraltar’s other pairing, Theo Nuñez and Matthew Stevenson, finished in an excellent fourth place.
The tournament demonstrated the depth of talent now emerging within Gibraltar’s junior beach volleyball programme, with both pairs competing confidently against more established volleyball nations under the guidance of coach Vladimir Hauriska. Gibraltar also received extremely positive feedback from coaches and officials representing other participating countries, many of whom commented on the high technical standard of the Gibraltar players and praised the quality of their performances throughout the tournament.
President of the Gibraltar Volleyball Association, Emma Labrador, said:
“This is a fantastic achievement for our young athletes and one that everyone involved with Gibraltar Volleyball is incredibly proud of. To have both Gibraltar teams reach the semi-finals and then play each other for the bronze medal is something we could only have dreamed of a few years ago. Just as importantly, it was incredibly rewarding to receive such positive feedback from coaches and officials from other countries, who were genuinely impressed by the technical level of our players and the quality of their performances. It reflects the hard work and dedication of our athletes, coaches and volunteers, as well as the support we have received through the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment Programme and our ongoing collaboration with both FIVB and CEV. This medal is another important step in the continued growth of beach volleyball in Gibraltar.”
The Gibraltar Volleyball Association congratulates Liam Neish, Mathew Ressa, Theo Nuñez and Matthew Stevenson, together with coach Vladimir Hauriska, on their outstanding performances and looks forward to building on this success as Gibraltar continues to develop its young talent on the international stage.