Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner made history for Czech beach volleyball on Sunday, taking the country to the top of the world for the first time with their incredible victory at the 2023 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships.

The ten-day competition came to an end for the men in great style, with thousands of Mexican fans witnessing the Czechs overcome Sweden’s David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig in a fantastic three-set (21-15, 17-21, 15-13) battle at the Tlaxcala Bullring. Poland’s Michal Bryl and Bartosz Łosiak took bronze.

• The 2023 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships matches are available on demand on VBTV.

Now undoubtedly the most accomplished team in Czech beach volleyball history, Perusic and Schweiner secured the biggest win in their careers in a season that had already been very successful for the two, who won Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour gold medals in Elite16 events in Uberlândia and Paris, this one in the last event before the World Championships.

“These three weeks were probably the longest of our lives, we went through a little bit of everything,” Schweiner said. “From preparation to playing the best teams, it was really, really difficult. But I’m super happy and proud of our entire team and our families. This is not only about us two, it’s a team result. It’s unbelievable, we’re world champions. I was very nervous at the end of the tie-breaker but it all ended well for us.”

The 29-year-old Perusic and Schweiner had an unbelievable journey in Mexico over the last ten days, struggling to make it out of their pool with just one win in three matches and then all of a sudden catching fire in the elimination rounds, where they won five straight matches, topping FIVB Beach Volleyball World Ranking leaders and defending champions Anders Mol and Christian Sørum of Norway in the quarterfinals and second-placed Åhman and Hellvig in the gold medal match.

“It’s unreal, I really don’t know how to describe my feelings because I can’t quite understand them,” Perusic reflected. “If I had to pick one word, it would be pride. I’m very proud of our entire team and everyone who contributed to our journey and who was by our side since the beginning. This is a huge accomplishment, not only for us, but for Czech beach volleyball and I’m really proud to give this to everyone back at home. It’s a dream coming true. We just want to enjoy the moment and we’ll plan a big celebration back home.”

The world title also basically guarantees the presence of Perusic and Schweiner in the Paris 2024 Games as they have earned Czechia a spot at next year’s Olympics, which will very likely be occupied by them. That would be the second Olympic appearance for the two, who are partners since 2016. They also get to share the 60,000 dollars prize money reserved for the winners.

Their victory also highlights the rise of European beach volleyball on the men’s side as it marked the third straight world title won by a team from the continent, following victories from Russia’s Oleg Stoyanovskiy/Viacheslav Krasilnikov in 2019 and Mol/Sørum last year.

Beach Volleyball World Championships - Results

In the bronze medal match, Bryl and Łosiak handled Americans Theo Brunner and Trevor Crabb in two sets (21-17, 21-18) and confirmed the second all-European podium in World Championships history, besides becoming the first Polish to finish in the top three in the event.

“To make history, it’s like a dream for us,” Bryl told Volleyball World. “Yesterday was one of the worst days in my life, but today is one of the best. After we lost in the semifinals, it was like building from zero again. The bronze medal match was a big challenge mentally because its’ been a long tournament and we’re exhausted. But it feels amazing to go back home with the medals.”

Their podium appearance at the World Championships reinforced the already strong connection between the Polish Olympians and the city of Tlaxcala. Last year, Bryl and Łosiak triumphed in the Beach Pro Tour Tlaxcala Challenge, taking gold in their first tournament as partners.

“I think the fans remember us from last year,” Łosiak said, laughing. “It was an amazing atmosphere. Mexico loves beach volleyball and we were able to see it in each of the three cities. It’s really amazing and always a big pleasure to play in front of these fans and take the medals. We played really well the entire week, deserved these bronze medals and will celebrate it.”

After the conclusion of the World Championships, the 2023 season of the Beach Pro Tour continues, with India hosting its first-ever tournament, the Goa Challenge, from Thursday to Sunday.

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2023 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships
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