Varadero, Cuba, July 17, 2016 – Cubans Nivaldo Diaz and Sergio Gonzalez, who are qualified for the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, claimed their third gold medal of the year on the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit by winning the Varadero Tournament with a 2-1 (21-13, 19-21, 14-13) victory over Canadians Michael Plantinga and Cameron Wheelan on Sunday.
Diaz and Gonzalez will begin their Olympic campaign against Pedro Solberg and Evandro Gonçalves of Brazil on August 7. They will also take on Latvians Aleksandrs Samoilovs and Janis Smedins and Canadians Chaim Schalk and Ben Saxton in Pool D.
It was the 16th overall gold medal in NORCECA for Gonzalez and the eighth for Diaz, who earlier this year registered victories in consecutive weekends in Guaymas and La Paz, México. The Cubans also won the NORCECA Continental Cup Finals in Guaymas, teaming up with Karell Peña and Daisel Quesada, to secure the ticket to Rio de Janeiro
In their semifinal match, Diaz and Gonzalez defeated countrymen Liosbel Méndez and Yendris Castillo in straight sets 2-0 (21-19, 21-17), while Plantinga and Wheelan came back to edge Spencer McLachlin and Miles Evans of United States 2-1 (19-21, 21-12, 15-10).
“This is an important result because it is our last chance to compete before Rio and it means our playing system remains stable,” said Nivaldo, who at 22 is the youngest member of the duo. “Every time you win you strengthen the positive mentality and that’s what we need in Brazil.”
McLachlin and Evans recovered to claim the bronze medal with a 2-0 (21-12, 21-18) win over Méndez and Castillo.
In the women's event, Cubans Yanisleidis Sanchez and Lidiannis Echeverría recorded their first gold medal ever at the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit by defeating the USA team of Betsi Flint and Kelley Larsen 2-1 (13-21, 21-19, 15-10).
The duo of Sanchez and Echeverría, who both are 20 years old, had won silver medals this year in Guanacaste, Costa Rica and in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic in 2015. Echeverría also finished second playing with Lianma Flores last year in Varadero.
Flint and Larsen were crowned champions this year in the Cayman Islands and now have four medals in total, including two silvers.
In the semifinals, Sánchez/Echeverría scored an upset victory over their more experienced compatriots Lianma Flores and Leila Martinez 2-0 (21-18, 21-14), while Flint/Larsen defeated Canada’s Brandie Wikerson and Julie Gordon in straight sets 2-0 (21-18, 21-17).
In the match for the bronze medal, Wilkerson/Gordon made sure of not leaving the tournament with their hands empty by outplaying Flores/Martínez 2-1 (21-18, 13-21, 15-11).
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