Teams supported by the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment Programme won three of the six medals at the 2026 CAVB Africa Beach Volleyball Continental Senior Championships held in Alexandria, Egypt from 17 to 23 August.
Morocco’s Zouheir Elgraoui & Soufiane El Gharouti emerged men’s champions while their compatriots Alexandra Erhart & Nora Nezha Jihane Darrhar claimed silver medal in the women’s competition. Mozambique’s women’s pair of Vanessa Muianga & Ana Sinaportar settled for the bronze medal.
By winning the tournament, empowered Morocco have also secured a spot at the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028. The winners of the 2026 continental championships will earn their respective National Olympic Committees (NOCs) a quota spot for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028.
FIVB has invested USD 31,500 in the Morocco men’s beach volleyball programme with Italian expert Ezio Goia taking charge of their senior and junior teams.
Second seeds Zouheir Elgraoui & Soufiane El Gharouti successfully defended Morocco’s title in the men’s competition after defeating Algeria’s Kallouche Mohamed-Islem & Ayyoub Dekkiche in straight sets (21-19, 21-12) in the final played on Sunday.
It’s the fifth consecutive men’s African title for Morocco after winning the 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2025 editions.
Elgraoui & El Gharouti went on a seven-match flawless streak enroute their gold medal feat. The Moroccan duo defeated Tunisia’s A. Lengliz & Elmeddeb.A by 2-0 (21-19, 21-15) in the semifinals after cruising through the preliminary round as well as Round of 16 and quarterfinals without dropping a set.
FIVB has also invested USD 31,500 in the Morocco women’s beach volleyball programme with Italian expert Ezio Goia taking charge of their senior and junior teams.
Alexandra Erhart & Darrhar of Morocco had reached the final on a 6-0 win-loss record that included a hard-fought 2-1 (21-17, 16-21, 15-08) win over top seeds Marwa Abdelhady & Doaa Elghobashy of Egypt in the semifinals.
Morocco’s Alexandra Erhart & Nora Nezha Jihane Darrhar celebrate after winning silver medal in the women’s competition. (Photo credits: CAVB)
The women’s final was a repeat of their Pool D encounter with Nigeria’s Esther Onyinye Mbah & Pamela Miyoum Bawa whom they had edged out by 2-1 (18-21, 21-15, 15-13) in the preliminary round. However, the Nigerians turned the tables on Alexandra Erhart & Darrhar in the final with a 2-0 (21-18, 21-11) sweep to win their first African senior title as a pair.
Dutch coach Han Abbing is in charge of both Mozambique’s senior and junior men’s and women’s national teams under the Volleyball Empowerment programme in a Coach Support project totaling USD 336,000.
Vanessa & Sinaportar reached the semifinals on a 5-0 win-loss record but lost to Nigeria’s Esther M & Pamela in straight sets (17-21, 17-21). They picked themselves up in the third place match to edge out Egypt’s Marwa & D.Elghobashy by 2-1 (21-11, 16-21, 15-12) and claim the bronze medal.
Mozambique’s Vanessa Muianga & Ana Sinaportar celebrate with their coaches after winning bronze medal in the women’s competition. (Photo credits: CAVB)
