Two Paraguayan duos made the podium at last week’s first stop on the 2026 CSV South American Beach Volleyball Tour, for women only, in Los Andes, Chile. With support from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment, Michelle Valiente & Giuliana Poletti Corrales triumphed with the gold medals, while Fiorella Nunez & Denisse Alvarez took bronze. Brazilian pair Thainara Feitosa & Verena Figueira claimed silver.
The national beach volleyball teams of Paraguay have so far been funded with a total of USD 336,000 in coach support from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment. Currently, they are trained by Brazilian coach Adriano Garrido. Paraguay’s national federation’s beach volleyball program has been granted another USD 12,000 for national team coaches development knowledge transfer programs and USD 11,000 in beach volleyball equipment.
Paris 2024 Olympians Michelle Valiente & Giuliana Poletti Corrales did not lose any sets in the three matches played in Los Andes on the way to the semifinals. In their semifinal (pictured in the main photo; credits: CSV), the second-seeded Paraguayan duo overcame their ninth-seeded compatriots Fiorella Nunez & Denisse Alvarez after a three-set duel, 2-1 (21-8, 20-22, 15-10), and went on to win another three-set battle in the final against eighth-seeded Brazilians Thainara Feitosa & Verena Figueira, 2-1 (19-21, 21-19, 15-10).
Fio & Denisse’s only other loss in the tournament was to Thainara & Verena in pool play. When it came to the playoff for the third place against fifth-seeded Peruvians Gaona Arevalo & Allcca Merino, they mastered a 2-0 (21-15, 21-14) sweep.
To secure their place in the final, Thainara & Verena also beat Gaona & Allcca in the semis, but after a hard-fought 2-1 (18-21, 22-20, 15-8) comeback.
16 women’s duos representing seven South American countries – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru – took part in the Los Andes tournament. The next South American Tour stop will be for both genders and will take place in Rancagua, Chile from March 6 to 8.
