Ukrainian teams stood out at the Bhubaneswar Beach Volleyball Challenge, part of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour 2026, with impressive comeback victories that propelled them into the pool finals. As the first Challenge tournament of the season, it featured high-stakes, three-set matches that demonstrated the resilience and skill of the Ukrainian squads.
In Pool A, Dmytro Kozii and Oleksii Bublyk, seeded 16th, overcame a one-set deficit against the U.S. team of Gage Basey and Thomas Hurst. The Ukrainians clinched a 2-1 victory, with set scores of 17-21, 22-20, and 15-12. Kozii's strong court presence, highlighted by five kill blocks, helped him achieve a match-high 23 points. They're now set for a challenging encounter against top-seeded Czech players Jakub Sepka and Matyas Dzavoronok for a direct eighthfinals berth.
At the same time, Ukrainian players Anton Moiseiev and Vitalii Savvin, ranked 12th, staged a remarkable recovery in Pool E. After losing the first set to India's Barath Sonu and Rajesh Vinayagamoorthy, they rallied to a 2-1 win, ending with scores of 18-21, 21-14, and 15-8. Savvin excelled with a match-best 32 points, securing their place in the next stage where they will face Norway’s Nils Gunnar Ringoen and Even Stray Aas.
These performances highlight the competitiveness of the Ukrainian teams as they advance through the Bhubaneswar Challenge. Friday’s continuation of the men’s main draw promises more exciting beach volleyball action as teams fight for placement and progression in this prestigious international event.
For more details, visit the full article on the Volleyball World website.
