In the final of the European Beach Volleyball Championship, held in Düsseldorf, Germany, the Ukrainian duo of Marina Gladun and Tetiana Lazarenko claimed historic gold, defeating the French team. The Ukrainians fought for every point and managed to overcome a 3-point deficit in the first set. With the score at 12:12, the French took a timeout in an attempt to disrupt the Ukrainian pair’s attacking momentum, but it was to no avail. Lazarenko continued to serve strongly, while Gladun effectively blocked the attacks. The French tandem made frequent mistakes, and it seemed that Ukraine would win the first set, having 5 set points. However, a nervy finish allowed the French to narrow the gap and eventually win the set 23:21, reports Baltimore Chronicle.
In the second set, the Ukrainians quickly gained a small advantage, but the French continued to resist. The French team tied the score multiple times, but Gladun and Lazarenko held their ground and won the set 21:18, leveling the match.
In the decisive third set, played to 15 points, the Ukrainians started aggressively and took the lead, but Viera and Shomero managed to equalize at 5:5. However, Lazarenko and Gladun regained a 2-point advantage, which the French again tied. Despite a brief moment of uncertainty, the Ukrainians showed psychological resilience, ultimately winning 16:14 and claiming the gold.
This result marked a historic achievement for Ukraine, as their best performance in women’s pairs at previous European Championships was reaching the Round of 16.
European Beach Volleyball Championship 2025 (Final)
Clemence Viera/Alin Shomero (France) – Marina Gladun/Tetiana Lazarenko (Ukraine) – 1:2 (23:21, 18:21, 14:16).
Earlier we wrote that Svitolina advances to the 1/8 finals of the WTA 1000 in Montreal.