Switzerland and Germany emerged as champions at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games, winning beach volleyball gold in a thrilling competition held over the weekend in Duisburg.
Flawless Victory for Switzerland in Women’s Tournament
The Swiss duo, Menia Bentele and Annique Niederhauser, dominated the women's field with an unbeaten run through seven matches. Their final match victory came with a 2-1 (21-18, 19-21, 15-5) win over the Netherlands' pair Floor Hogenhout and Nigella Negenman. The United States secured bronze with Alexis Durish and Audrey Koenig defeating Poland in straight sets.
Germany Shines at Home in Men’s Tournament
Playing in front of a home crowd, Germany’s Philipp Huster and Maximilian Just matched Switzerland’s feat by going undefeated as well. They captured gold by decisively beating the Netherlands’ team of Quinten Groenewold and Tom Sonneville 2-0 (21-13, 21-12). France took bronze with Elouan Chouikh-Barbez and Joadel Gardoque overcoming Italy’s Riccardo Iervolino and Filippo Mancini.
Widespread International Participation
The event featured 48 teams—24 men’s and 24 women’s—from a diverse range of 30 nations. The FISU Games continue to serve as a vital platform for university athletes aspiring to reach elite levels in international sport.
Event Highlights
- Women’s Gold: Menia Bentele / Annique Niederhauser (Switzerland)
- Women’s Silver: Floor Hogenhout / Nigella Negenman (Netherlands)
- Women’s Bronze: Alexis Durish / Audrey Koenig (USA)
- Men’s Gold: Philipp Huster / Maximilian Just (Germany)
- Men’s Silver: Quinten Groenewold / Tom Sonneville (Netherlands)
- Men’s Bronze: Elouan Chouikh-Barbez / Joadel Gardoque (France)
This latest edition once again highlighted the FISU Games as a breeding ground for future stars in the sport of beach volleyball.
Read the full article on the official FIVB website.
