Adelaide, Australia is set to make history as it hosts an all-Swedish final at the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship. For the first time ever, Sweden will feature both teams in the gold medal match—an achievement that reflects the nation's growing presence in the sport.
Swedish Pairs Take Center Stage
The final, scheduled for 19:00 local time (08:30 UTC) on Sunday, will pit Olympic champions David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig against rising stars Jacob Hölting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson. This marks only the second instance in tournament history where both finalists come from the same country—underscoring Sweden’s depth and dominance.
Åhman and Hellvig secured their place in the final with a dominant 2-0 victory (21-10, 21-14) over Germany’s Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wickler. Their performance echoed their Olympic success and followed their silver medal finish at the 2023 championship.
Meanwhile, the teenage pair of Hölting Nilsson and Andersson stunned the field by reaching the final in their World Championship debut. Their straight-sets triumph (21-18, 21-17) over France’s Teo Rotar and Arnaud Gauthier-Rat makes them the youngest duo to ever play in a championship final.
A Breakthrough Season
The young Swedes have been remarkable on the Beach Pro Tour, capturing titles in:
- Malmö, Sweden
- Baden, Austria
- Cape Town, South Africa
Their success is no accident. Both Swedish pairs have benefited from the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment programme, which offers coaching, training infrastructure, and development funding. Guided by a unified coaching team and supported by the Swedish Volleyball Association, these efforts are now bearing global fruit.
Bronze Showdown
Before the gold medal showdown, Germany’s Ehlers and Wickler will fight for bronze against France’s Rotar and Gauthier-Rat at 15:00 local time (04:30 UTC).
Sweden’s Ascendancy
This year's championship is a powerful testament to Sweden’s rapid rise in international beach volleyball. It also illustrates the impact of targeted investment in national sports development—a strategy that other nations may seek to emulate.
For more details, read the full article on the FIVB official website.
