23/08/2014 13:00
Oscar Jimenez continues legacy of Beach Volleyball glory
2014 CEV U18 Beach Volleyball European Championship
Kristiansand, Norway, August 23, 2014. Passion for the sport may come from different roads, but for Spain’s Oscar Jimenez, love for Beach Volleyball runs in the genes, as the 16-year old player is son of one of the greatest Spanish legends of all times, Sixto Jimenez. The notion “born to be a Beach Volleyball star” fits perfectly in the young athlete competing in the 2014 CEV U18 Beach Volleyball European Championship being held in the Norwegian city of Kristiansand this week.
“My father always told me: “You can be good, you can be great; if you work hard, you can make big things in this sport… especially if I train you”, commented Jimenez. The young star in the making soon demonstrated that these words exceeded the reasonable encouraging pep talk done by a loving father. In the case of Oscar Jimenez, 52-year old Sixto could not have been more right: in July, on his first major international competition, Oscar Jimenez reached one the greatest successes in recent years in Spanish Beach Volleyball after earning a silver medal from the 2014 FIVB U17 World Championship in Mexico. “It was one of the best things that ever happened to me, to win that medal”, said Jimenez. “We got there without goals, as it was our first tournament, and then we started winning and winning, until we reached the Final. It was a great moment for us!”, he added.
The glorious instant of climbing up to the second position of the podium in the World Championship represented the confirmation that Jimenez’s legacy in the sport was to be continued by young Oscar, and that Sixto once again hit the mark with his prediction. After finishing an outstanding career as a player, Huelva-born Sixto Jimenez became one of the most prestigious and respected Beach Volleyball coaches in the country, emerging as the main generator of stars in the sport in Spain. The former national title holder lead Spanish teams to the 2005 CEV Beach Volleyball European Championship won by Pablo Herrera/Raul Mesa, the silver medal in the 2004 Olympic Games won by Pablo Herrera/Javier Bosma and about a dozen medals in World Tour competitions, as well as being responsible for the shaping of Spain as one of the main powers in international Beach Volleyball, among many other triumphs.
“Whenever I went to the beach, I would see him coaching Pablo Herrera and Raul Mesa or Adrian Gavira, and bit by bit, the sport was getting in to me. Besides, going to the beach has always meant to have a beach volleyball with me”, stated the young Oscar, who incidentally is directed in Kristiansand by one of Sixto’s pupils, Raul Mesa, now head coach of the Spanish Beach Volleyball grassroots programs.
“The truth is that I was never pressured to take Beach Volleyball. I used to play tennis, and I was very good at it, actually, so much that I was Spanish champion. But in the end, I leaned into Beach Volleyball, because it is much nicer and much more fun to play”, commented Jimenez, notwithstanding the big shoes to fill in the sport of the sand and the net.
History of Spanish Beach Volleyball, Sixto Jimenez’s history
The tale of Beach Volleyball in Spain for the last 25 years could not be told without Sixto Jimenez’s name in it, as the Tenerife-resident legend helped plant the seeds of the sport in the country, and his dedication and influence constituted one the pillars that built consequent successes in international Beach Volleyball. As a player, the older of the Jimenez saga became the first ever winner of Spanish Beach Volleyball championship, after prevailing in the opening edition of the national tour celebrated in 1991. Following many years of achievements, the 1.86m tall sport-lover made history again for Spain, after becoming the first Spanish player, together with Javier Bosma, to compete in Beach Volleyball at the Olympic Games in Atlanta 1996, reaching a meritorious fifth position. It was the culmination of a gold-filled career as a player, a golden route which was also continued as a coach.
“I remember going to (hometown) Huelva, and seeing his showcase, with hundreds of trophies. It was amazing! It is great that he has achieved so much!”, expressed Oscar, stating his admiration for a father whose success he was not able to witness in person. “I have seen many of the matches he has on tapes; it is unbelievable! Like the Final he played in the Tenerife Open in 1995 against Brazilians Emanuel-Ze Marco. The match went to the tie-break; it was a wonderful game!”.
Oscar Jimenez’s road to glory is certainly marked in gold and he will try to continue the family tradition in the 2014 CEV U18 Beach Volleyball European Championship in Kristiansand, as together with teammate Alejandro Huerta, the Spaniard has progressed to the knockout round and will fight for the final stages of competition. In any case, the promising star is aware that he will have a valuable support in the sidelines. “(My father) always told me that I had talent. He always knew I could get there, but only if I work hard. That’s what I plan to do.”
Click here for more info including detailed results, photo gallery and a match programme
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