Latvians and Chinese strike gold on Durban’s Golden Mile

THE Latvians struck gold twice, also winning the 2013 FIVB World Tour title in Durban last week. In the all-Latvian final of the Durban Open they defeated compatriots Martins Plavins and Aleksandrs Solovejs 2-1. Brazil’s Pedro Solberg and Bruno Oscar Schmidt won the bronze medal.

In the women’s competition, China’s Chen Xue and Xinyi Xia won back to back gold after winning the Phuket Open in November, in only their third event as a team. The Chinese beat Germany’s Chantal Laboureur and Julia Sude 2-0 in the Durban final. USA’s Jennifer Kessy and Whitney Pavlik took the bronze.

Janis Smedins and Aleksandrs Samoilovs struck gold twice in Durban on Saturday. After securing the 2013 FIVB World Tour ranking title in the morning, the Latvians also won the FIVB Beach Volleyball Durban Open. “To get two titles in the same tournament, that is pretty amazing. It feels very good,” said Smedins.

In an all-Latvian final they defeated compatriots Martins Plavins and Aleksandrs Solovejs 2-1 to claim their third gold medal this year together with two silvers and one bronze.

The Durban Open was the last event on the 2013 FIVB calendar. Next year Durban will host another double gender open from December 10-14.

Meanwhile, the final day of the VSA and Geness Consulting National Durban Open showcased sizzling volleyball action on Durban’s New Beach. The tour is the final leg of the national circuit and boasts a total prize purse of R 65 000.

The day kicked off with men’s and women’s semi and finals. Dominating the courts in the men’s division against Leo Willams and Jerome Federicks was team Grant Goldsmidt and Freedom Chiya who claimed the title as the 2013 VSA and Geness Consulting National Durban Open.

The women’s finals saw the agile Judith Augoustides and Kirsten Pocock snatch the title from arch rivals Palesa Sekhonyana and Randy Willams.

The titles for the most valuable players were awarded to Judith Augoustides and Freedom Chiya who each won R2000.