In a crucial match for the second place in Pool F at the men’s Olympic beach volleyball tournament in Paris, Spanish veterans Pablo Herrera & Adrian Gavira showed no signs of slowing down and achieved a straight-set victory over USA’s Miles Evans & Chase Budinger to secure their spot in the eighthfinals. However, after the match, 42-year-old Herrera, who is playing in his record-breaking sixth Olympics, told the FIVB that this is his last season in professional beach volleyball. 36-year-old four-time Olympian Gavira, on the other hand, will continue with a new project.

18^th-seeded Herrera & Gavira outplayed 19^th-seeded Evans & Budinger at the net, in both spiking and blocking, to produce an emphatic 2-0 (21-18, 21-11) shutout. Gavira led the scoring with 20 points, including four kill blocks and two aces. The Spanish duo finished second in the pool standings on a 2-1 win-loss record, runners-up to undefeated Dutchmen Stefan Boermans & Yorick de Groot, who knocked home favourites Youssef Krou & Arnaud Gauthier-Rat out of contention with a 2-0 (21-15, 21-16) sweep later on Friday. Both Herrera & Gavira and Boermans & De Groot are now awaiting the names of their eighthfinal opponents. The Americans also stayed alive in the competition, but they will move on to the “lucky-loser” sixteenthfinal playoffs.

“I think we played a really good match in sideout. It was important to do what our coach wanted. I think this is what Herrera-Gavira is about. With the crowd, the people on the stands, we played a serious match against a very good team,” Gavira told the FIVB.

“I think today we played at an amazing level in sideout and that was the key,” Herrera confirmed. “In service, we pushed on the middle and they had some problems in reception. We also got some blocks. We certainly enjoyed it a lot with the crowd, the people and the Spanish fans... Crazy!”

Herrera has played at all Olympic Games since Athens 2004, where he and Javier Bosma earned silver. He played with Raul Mesa at Beijing 2008 and with Gavira at the next four Olympics to become the first beach volleyballer in history to have competed in six different editions.

“The secret is to be professional, motivated and focused in practice, in the gym, and with physio as well. The combination of these results in us being here,” Herrera & Gavira explained this longevity. and in regards to the possibility of earning a medal in Paris, they said, “We want it, we hope for it and we will fight for it.”

But Herrera does not think experience was the main reason to overcome Olympic newcomers like Evans & Budinger.

“It is their first Olympics and they were nervous. I got six Olympics, but in our first game against the Netherlands, I was as nervous as a rookie,” he said laughing.

“This Olympics is very special, because we have our families here. My wife and, for the first time, my kids are here. My parents too, so I am enjoying it a lot. It is very emotional!”

Given the great shape he is in, why not try for a seventh Olympics?

“No, no, I have to be a father, a husband,... and also a son to my parents,” Herrera was quick to deny the idea. “With beach volleyball, we lost many years, so I want to enjoy time with my parents. After Paris, we have the European Championship, the national championship, the Hamburg Elite16, one tournament in my town to say goodbye, and that’s it! For real!”

Gavira, however, will continue playing with a new partner.

“I will start a new project,” he said. “It will not be easy, because these 16 seasons with Pablo were really, really amazing, not only in terms of results, but also our relationship was very, very important for us. It will be a difficult change, but life continues...”

To the question if he has already found a replacement for his long-time partner, Gavira answered: “It’s impossible to replace Pablo!”

Olympic Games Paris 2024 Beach Volleyball: schedule and results

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