Brno, Czech Republic, August 19, 2018. The new U18 Beach Volleyball European Champions were announced on Sunday afternoon. Jonatan Hellvig and David Ahman were victorious in the boys' competition, while Svenja Müller and Lea Sophie Kunst were the best ones among the girls. Home stars Jan Vodička and Tadeáš Trousil had to settle for silver and Russia's Dmitrii Veretiuk and Denis Shekunov completed the men's podium, while Mariia Bocharova/Elizaveta Ludkova claimed silver for Russia and Spain's duo Daniela Alvárez Mendoza/Sofía González Racero finished third.
"I can't believe it," Lea Sophie Kunst expressed soon after winning the gold medal match. Together with Svenja Müller they defeated Mariia Bocharova and Elizaveta Ludkova 2-0 (23-21, 21-16) in the grand finale of the tournament. "It is so amazing, we played our best beach volleyball in the final," Müller said. In fact, this was Svenja's second time in Brno, as she had to settle for fourth place in the 2016 edition of the CEV U18 European Championship together with former partner Hanna Viemann.
The young Germans posing with their coach after the Gold medal match.
Kunst and Müller defeated Czechs Honzovičová/Šulcová in the semis 2-0 (21-12, 21-15) and eventually the home team admitted defeat against their peers from Spain Daniela Alvárez Mendoza and Sofía González Racero 0-2 (16-21, 16-21) and thus ended the home championship without a medal. "We were not able to move, we were without energy and we were nervous," Honzovičová reported. "At the moment we are not happy, but tomorrow we will be proud to have finished fourth in this Championship," Šulcová added.
Jan Vodička had different feelings after claiming the silver medals: "This year it is the second time I am second in a domestic U18 European Championship." Vodička was part of the Czech indoor volleyball team, who lost in the 2018 CEV U18 European Championship final to Germany in April. "But still it is a huge success, there was a fantastic crowd here and we were happy to play for them," Vodička added. The Czech pair lost to the final to Sweden 0-2 (18-21, 10-21).
The young Swedes make their coach proud one more time!
Same as the girls from Germany, Jonatan Hellvig and David Ahman couldn't believe they finished at the top of the European pack! "It is absolutelly amazing, we wouldn't believe we could get so far a year ago," Ahman said. When looking back at the championship, both boys named the semifinal against reigning U19 World and U20 European champions Dmitrii Veretiuk and Denis Shekunov as the most difficult match of the tournament. "We were down 0-1, struggling in the second set and still managed to win the match," Hellvig looked back on what turned to be another successful tournament of the 2018 season for the Scandinavian team, as they also claimed a Gold medal and a ticket to the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Baden earlier this year at the 2018 CEV Youth Continental Cup Finals.
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