Lithuanian Women's Beach Volleyball Team Crowned European Deaf Champions

Lithuania's women's beach volleyball team has claimed the European Deaf Women's Beach Volleyball Championship title, triumphing in Poland. The team, coached by Paulius Matulis, secured five victories throughout the tournament, with their only defeat coming against the Czech Republic team they later overcame in the final.

Matulis expressed pride in his players' performance, noting they delivered their best game in the decisive match against Czech players Anna Pavlovová and Oldřiška Židková. He highlighted the challenging conditions, including a difficult sandy court and temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius, which tested the athletes' endurance alongside their competitive spirit. The team's medic, Marius Bražulis, provided essential support against the heat.

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I am happy that the volleyball players showed their best game in the final.

A significant milestone was achieved by veteran player B. Aleknavičiūtė, who was recognized as the tournament's most valuable player. This victory marks her tenth career medal at the highest international level. Her last European Championship medal, a silver, was won nearly 20 years ago in 2007, and her previous championship title was in 2016. For D. Keraitė, this championship marks a strong start to her athletic journey post-surgery, having recently returned to play in June.

The championship holds special significance for Aleknavičiūtė, as the Polish town of Sulejów was the site of her and I. Milkintaitė's success in the 2021 World Championship. This European title adds another layer to her decorated career, while Keraitė's gold medal follows her vice-champion title from last year's Deaflympics with Aleknavičiūtė.

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The courts are good, the sand is sticky, the infrastructure is excellent. During the championship, we had real summer. On the days of the semi-finals and finals, the heat was 35 degrees Celsius. The players had to fight not only with opponents but also with the heat.