Beach athletes say goodbye

The period that follows the Olympic Games is often filled with farewells from athletes from every sport, and beach volleyball is no different. Americans Jake Gibb and Phil Dalhausser were the first, announcing they were stepping away from international competition after the Tokyo Games. But other beach players have now also said they will no longer compete.

Three-time Olympian Marketa Slukova was among those announcing changes. The 33-year-old Czech, who finished fifth at London 2012, 17th at Rio 2016 and was not able to compete in Tokyo due to a positive COVID-19 test before the start of the Games, has decided to take a break from the sport, which may be temporary or permanent, after competing internationally since 2005.

“After 16 years, I will hang up my boots/bikinis for a few months and B (her partner, Barbora Hermannova) and I will go our separate ways,” she wrote on an Instagram post. “I will focus on my family and Bara will continue on the sand.”

Another Tokyo Olympian to make a similar announcement was Swiss athlete Mirco Gerson. The 28-year-old defender, who finished 17th in Tokyo with Adrian Heidrich, has decided to step away shortly after winning the 2021 Swiss Championship in Bern.

“I was able to fulfil a childhood dream by competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and always give my best when competing across the world,” he said. “Beach volleyball was an excellent school of life for me and yet life has much more to offer. Despite this, I am sure that I will remain connected with the sport in the future.”

Another Olympian to recently confirm the end of her playing career was Brazil’s Juliana Felisberta. A bronze medallist at London 2012, the 38-year-old blocker, who played in as many as 158 international events, is ready to pursue other dreams.

“After 20 years, it’s time to make a pause in my career as an athlete,” she said. “I have new challenges in mind, which will require a lot of preparation, and it’s the right time to take this decision. Beach volleyball will always be part of my life. My family and the sport have given me all I have in life and I will keep following and helping in the ways I can.”

Germany has lost not one, but two players. 31-year-old Lars Fluggen, a Rio 2016 Olympian, and 30-year-old Victoria Bieneck, a 2019 U19 world champion and ten-year World Tour veteran, both announced their retirements.

In news from Belgium, the country's top men's team competing on the World Tour - 33-year-old Dries Koekelkoren and 34-year-old Tom van Walle - are also stepping away from their playing careers. They represented their country together for the first time in 2010 and won their first and only gold together two months ago, on home sand in Leuven.

Quick links:
FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
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