Cuban beach volleyball duos stand out in this sport in 2025

HAVANA, Cuba, Dec. 22 (ACN) Just like in 2024, beach volleyball players made a name for themselves in the sport, with standout performances from the duos of Noslen Diaz and Jorge Luis Alayo, and Damian Gomez and Eblis Veranes, who secured prominent positions in the poll to select the best Cuban athletes of 2025.

Not forgetting the men's volleyball team's performance in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL), a tournament in which Cuba advanced to the final stage for the first time, undoubtedly the most outstanding indoor volleyball achievement.

The Cuban top duo earned the title of best team, with Alayo receiving the award for best male athlete in team sports, and Diaz finishing among the top 10.

It's worth remembering that the team, coached by Francisco Alvarez Cutiño, also had a successful 2024, confirming their place among the elite, primarily due to their ninth-place finish at the Paris Olympic Games.

With outstanding results and several medals in the World Circuits – Challenge and Elite 16 – and the North, Central American and Caribbean (NORCECA) Circuit, as well as the Russian League, including an invitation to the snow final, Diaz and Alayo finished 2025 ranked 10th in the world with 6,200 points.

Meanwhile, the young Gomez and Veranes improved their ranking by 50 places, reaching 89th with 1,720 points, demonstrating their rise on the international stage after a 2025 of strong performances in ranking competitions.

Silver medals at the NORCECA Tour Final in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic, and the NORCECA Tour in Punta Cana, also in the Dominican Republic; bronze medals at the NORCECA Tour in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the NORCECA Tour in Varadero, Cuba; fifth place at the II Pan American Games U23 (the tournament did not award points); and 37th place at the World Championships in Adelaide, Australia.

It will be important to compete and compete—they have earned it—in 2026, the second year of the Olympic cycle, with the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Both pairs will be present at these multi-sport events, the first as favorites, and the second aiming to continue climbing the rankings, improving their results, and proving their capabilities.