Vanessa Muianga has trodden the African beach volleyball scene for over a decade like a colossus. The 30-year-old Muianga’s longevity on the sand is one to be envied. Since making her FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship debut in 2017 in Vienna, Austria alongside Liocádia Manhiça, Muianga went on to represent Mozambique in three other editions with different partners.
In Rome 2022 and Tlaxcala 2023, Muianga teamed up with Ana Sinaportar. Last year, she marked her fourth appearance at the World Championship with Mércia Mucheza in Adelaide, Australia further underlining her status as Mozambique’s finest and one of Africa’s prominent beach volleyball players.
“With different partners, I have managed to participate in four World Championships which is very rewarding. There’s no secret…it’s all about dedication, hard work, determination, focus, and persistence. I want to thank my partners for their effort because I wouldn’t have gotten this far alone. Teamwork and unity are very important in beach volleyball,” Vanessa told FIVB.com.
Vanessa Muianga (right) in action at the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship in Adelaide, Australia.
Vanessa qualified for the 2025 World Championship after winning the silver medal at last year’s CAVB African Beach Volleyball Championships. The silver in Tetouan, Morocco added to the silver she got together with Sinaportar at the delayed African Games Accra 2023 held in 2024. Yet, Vanessa drew more joy from the 2025 African Championship silver medal as it capped her reunion with her former partner Mucheza.
“Mércia is an excellent athlete, determined, and full of grit…Actually, it was a reunion with great enthusiasm. I was Mércia’s partner in the past but it didn’t quite work out. We reunited and decided to make it count this time. We crushed all the big teams in Africa, reaching the highest level Mozambique has ever been at in senior women’s volleyball.
“Together with our coach Osvaldo Machava, we qualified for the World Championship and left with a feeling of mission accomplished. We dedicated our victory to our coach Osvaldo Machava because he always believed that together we could succeed,” said Vanessa.
Vanessa Muianga (right) and Mércia Mucheza celebrate a point at the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship in Adelaide, Australia.
Beyond the local coaches, Vanessa has also benefited from expert coaching from FIVB-seconded professionals under the Volleyball Empowerment Programme. Dutch coach Han Abbing is currently in charge of both Mozambique’s senior men and women national teams under the Volleyball Empowerment programme in a two-year Coach Support project worth 336,000 USD. Previously, Brazilian Alexandre Pontel coached Mozambique also under the Volleyball Empowerment Programme.
“The impact of the foreign coaches in Mozambique was positive; new opportunities and new learning experiences. We were all open to learning, created good relationships, and managed to reach the top of Africa and the World Championship. We also improved our performance on the court and matured with every passing day…it was an incredible experience,” offered Vanessa.
Moving forward, Vanessa is keen to continue her partnership with Vanessa in the 2026 season.
“My partnership with Mércia yielded a medal in the African Championship. We also participated in the Beach Pro Tour Elite16 stop in Cape Town, and in the World Championship. In 2026, we are determined to put in the work and focus on the upcoming competitions,” Vanessa said.
Vanessa Muianga in action at the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship in Adelaide, Australia.
Her long-term goal is clear: to earn her place at the Olympic Games, turning the near misses of Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 into fuel for the journey ahead.
“The Olympic Games have always been a dream. We were one step away from going to Paris, but unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, we couldn’t participate in the final qualifying phase for the Paris Olympic Games. For Los Angeles, it’s important to redouble our efforts and work very hard because in Africa only one country qualifies for the Olympic Games,” emphasized Vanessa.
