Beach Pro Tour 2022 - News

Agatha Rebecca

Tokyo Olympians Agatha and Rebecca will try to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics (Photo: Livia Mendonca/Manila Comunicacao)

Brazil will have a new women’s team competing on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour in 2023 after Tokyo Olympians Agatha Bednarczuk and Rebecca Cavalcanti announced they would be taking to the courts together next season.

While the 39-year-old Agatha sat out of the 2022 season to give birth to her first daughter, Kahena, on October 31, the 29-year-old Rebecca had veteran Talita Antunes by her side in six Beach Pro Tour events this year – the two earned medals at two Elite16 events, taking silver in Ostrava and bronze in Rosarito.

The two Brazilians won’t be together on a court until the start of 2023, however, as Agatha is set to spend the next two months getting back to her best form after Kahena’s birth.

“I was happy about the timing of our decision because it allows us to carefully make plans for the next two years,” Agatha, a 2015 world champion, commented. “Rebecca is an experienced athlete, she has been at the Olympics and that will be very helpful with Paris 2024 coming in just two years. I have great expectations for our team and am confident that we will be in a position to fight for a spot in Paris.”

The Brazilians both competed at last year’s Tokyo Olympics, with Agatha ranking ninth alongside Eduarda ‘Duda’ Lisboa and Rebecca finishing fifth with Ana Patricia Ramos.

While both players will be looking for a second-straight Olympic appearance, Agatha will try to make it to her third consecutive edition of the Games as she also represented Brazil in Rio in 2016, when partner Barbara Seixas and her took silver.

“I’m really excited about this new chapter in my career,” Rebecca explained. “It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was well thought through. I’m aware of the many challenges we’ll face, but also very confident that we can accomplish our goals. Needless to mention how successful Agatha has been and it amazes me how motivated she is to continue growing and accomplishing things.”