Futures - Wuhan, CHN - 2026

Young Norwegian brothers storm Wuhan for first Beach Pro Tour gold

Pairs from China, Hungary and Germany also make the podiums

Published 03:14, 31 May 2026

Norway’s Sebastian Kjemperud & Jonah Kjemperud cruised through the Wuhan Futures in China unbeaten to claim not only their first medal, but also their first ever gold on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour, both as a pair and individually. Guo Sihong & Song Jinyang and Wu Jiaxin & Zhou Chaowei pleased the home crowd with the men’s silver and bronze, respectively. The Chinese fans were delighted by Kadeliye Halaiti & Zhou Mingli earning gold on the women’s side. Hungary’s Stefania Kun & Lilla Villam and Germany’s Elea Beutel & Paula Schurholz completed the podium.

View this post on Instagram

18-year-old Sebastian Kjemperud, a reigning 2025 U18 world champion, and his 20-year-old brother Jonah Kjemperud won all five of their matches in Wuhan on the road to their first Beach Pro Tour podium. The young Norwegians, seeded 10^th in the main draw, achieved a 2-1 (21-17, 12-21, 15-13) upset of fifth-seeded Wu Jiaxin & Zhou Chaowei of the host nation in the semifinals, and a 2-0 (21-16, 22-20) shutout of another Chinese pair – 14^th-seeded Guo Sihong & Song Jinyang – in the final, to make it all the way to the top and raise the trophy as gold medalists.

It was the first time Guo & Song participated in the main draw of a Beach Pro Tour event together. They recovered from losing their opening game and went on a four-match winning streak crowned with a 2-1 (21-18, 14-21, 15-9) victory over second-seeded Australians Oliver Merritt & Jed Walker in the semifinals to secure a medal finish.

Wu & Zhou conquered their second Beach Pro Tour bronze as a duo after hammering out a 2-0 (21-13, 21-15) sweep of the third-place playoff against Merritt & Walker.

23-year-old Kadeliye Halaiti and 21-year-old Zhou Mingli of China claimed their first gold and second medal since they started competing together on the Tour at the start of the season. In March, they also piked up the Haikou Futures silver. Fourth-seeded Kadeliye & Zhou cruised undefeated in Wuhan, dropping only a set in five matches played. In the semifinals, they produced a 2-0 (21-16, 21-13) shutout of fifth-seeded Germans Elea Beutel & Paula Schurholz, and in the gold medal showdown, they mastered a 2-0 (21-16, 21-8) sweep against second-seeded Hungarians Stefania Kun & Lilla Villam.

Kun & Villam stormed the podium with four consecutive straight-set victories. This successful run was decorated with a 2-0 (21-9, 21-10) sweep of their semifinal against China’s Cao Shuting & Aheidan Mushajiang that guaranteed the Hungarian duo its third Beach Pro Tour podium. Last year, they collected Balikesir Futures gold and Qidong Futures silver.

Beutel & Schurholz, who reunited a few years after competing together at youth and junior international tournaments, lost only two of their matches in Wuhan, both to champions-to-be Kadeliye & Zhou. The German team bounced back from their semifinal setback with a 2-0 (21-14, 21-16) shutout of third-seeded Cao & Aheidan for the bronze to earn the duo’s first Beach Pro Tour medal.