Shaunna Polley and Olivia MacDonald delivered a remarkable performance to secure a gold medal for New Zealand at the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Beach Volleyball Tour in Phu Yen, Vietnam.
The New Zealand duo, ranked second before the tournament, went on an unbeaten run through all five of their matches. Notably, they dropped only one set in the entire competition. Their final match highlighted their dominance with a straight-sets victory (21-19, 21-17) against Thailand’s Taravadee Naraphornrapat and Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee.
This achievement marks a milestone for New Zealand beach volleyball, showing clear progress bolstered by the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment initiative. The support program has provided significant resources:
- CHF 396,000 for coaching
- CHF 28,000 for essential equipment
Coach Jason Lochhead’s leadership has been instrumental in guiding the team to success.
In the bronze medal match, Australia’s Elizabeth Alchin and Georgia Johnson earned a 2-0 victory (21-15, 21-15) over compatriots Jasmine Fleming and Stefanie Fejes. All four Australians are part of the country's national training setup, which similarly benefits from the FIVB empowerment framework.
The Phu Yen event featured 22 women’s teams from 10 different nations, underscoring the growing competitiveness in Asian beach volleyball circuits. Next on the Tour is the men’s event scheduled for Doha, Qatar from April 30 to May 3.
New Zealand’s gold medal is more than a podium finish—it reflects the nation’s rising profile on the international stage and emphasizes the importance of sustained investment and support in sport development.
To read the full article, visit the FIVB official website.
