World ParaVolley President Barry Couzner has thanked the nation of Japan and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) for the hosting of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, claiming the Games were held at the "highest level" despite COVID-19 challenges.

In his end of year message going into 2022, Couzner praised organisers for holding a successful volleyball

Duisburg for hosting the Tokyo 2020 Men's Qualification Tournament.Barry Couzner put focus on beach

volleyball for Los Angeles 2028 selection ©USA VolleyballAlthough the President expressed frustration

female players on World ParaVolley Commissions and Committees more influence.More work is expected in beach

events in 2022, centred around the World ParaVolley Hickory Point Beach Development Centre in the

Organisers of the Munich 2022 European Championships are placing a focus on mental health his month.

year.Organisers have set a goal of collecting 500 hands.European Championships across nine sports - athletics, beach

volleyball, canoe sprint, cycling, gymnastics, rowing, table tennis, sport climbing and triathlon -

COVID-19 vaccination will be mandatory to compete at the Lodz 2022 European Universities Games, organisers have decided.

if needed.Twenty disciplines are included on the programme - 3x3 basketball, badminton, basketball, beach

handball, beach volleyball, chess, football, futsal, handball, judo, karate, kickboxing, muaythai, sport

climbing, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, water polo and sitting volleyball.

Organisers are eyeing a record attendance at next year's European Universities Games (EUG) in Lodz after registration for the event in Poland opened.

from 40 countries.Twenty sports are included on the programme - 3x3 basketball, badminton, basketball, beach

handball, beach volleyball, chess, football, futsal, handball, judo, karate, kickboxing, muaythai, sport

climbing, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, water polo and sitting volleyball."

Ukraine’s Anhelina Khmil and Tetiana Lazarenko improved on their bronze medal at the International Volleyball

Federation's Under-19 Beach Volleyball World Championships by triumphing in the women's under-21 competition

on Bangtao Beach in Phuket.

Swiss sixth seeds Menia Bentele and Leona Kernen.Sweden's David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig won the boys' beach

volleyball event at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympics ©Getty ImagesBentele and Kernen went on to

The winter sport season has been in full flow over the coming weeks, with organisers holding events despite the ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19 and the new Omicron variant.

to how several International Federations began holding events on sand when they discovered a World Beach

Games was being launched in 2019.The FIVB previously announced an optimistic aim to have snow volleyball

added to the Winter Olympics ©FIVBThe International Volleyball Federation are arguably the best example

in this area, having successfully overseen the inclusion of beach volleyball onto the Olympic programme

traditional indoor format.The governing body more recently opted for an ambitious effort to develop a snow volleyball

the women's gold medal to cap off their superb run from the qualification round at the International Volleyball

Federation's (FIVB) Under-19 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Phuket.

Preparations for upcoming continental and international sporting events, including next year's Pacific Mini Games and Commonwealth Games, have been discussed at the Vanuatu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee's (VASANOC) Extraordinary Annual General Meeting.

officials at the multi-sport event for Oceanian countries, and it will take part in the athletics, beach

volleyball, golf, tennis and weightlifting competitions.The travelling party is likely to be subject

Ajay Ballu has been named as Fiji’s Chef de Mission for the 2022 Pacific Mini Games in the Northern Mariana Islands.

with 21 countries and territories due to compete across nine sports - athletics, badminton, baseball, beach

volleyball, golf, tennis, triathlon, va’a and weightlifting.At the same time as Ballu was appointed

Pacific Games Council (PGC) President Vidhya Lakhan has told organisers of the 2022 Pacific Mini Games to "continue the good work" after praising preparations for the event in Northern Mariana Islands.

will welcome you all with vaccinated arms and masks on," Peter added.Athletics, badminton, baseball, beach

volleyball, golf, tennis, triathlon, va'a and weightlifting are on the programme for the Games.Originally

Mariia Bocharova will have the opportunity to defend her International Volleyball Federation's Under-

19 Beach Volleyball World Championships title, which begins tomorrow at Bangtao Beach in Phuket.

The Russian triumphed alongside Maria Voronina at the 2018 edition of the Under-19 Beach Volleyball World

the round of 24 for the chance to join them.Brazil have won seven gold medals at the FIVB Under-19 Beach

Volleyball World Championships, more than any other nation ©Getty ImagesA knockout phase of the World

foil fencing final ©Agencia.Xpress MediaMaria Gonzalez, left, helped Puerto Rico to reach the women's beach

volleyball final ©Agencia.Xpress MediaVenezuela cruised past the British Virgin Islands 22-11 to remain

Saint Kitts and Nevis is hoping that the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will be the perfect showcase for the country's young athletes.

volleyball and table tennis.The country has sent three athletes to the ongoing Junior Pan American Games

We do not have a proper indoor facility so we focus on beach handball," he said.

 "For the past several months we couldn't play because we lost the beach to a tropical storm.

thing, to get the beach back the way it was.

Every year we lose beach when we have hurricanes."

Picture Gallery

Dias ©Agencia.Xpress MediaChile beat Guatemala 3-0 to confirm their seventh place finish in the men's volleyball

tournament ©Agencia.Xpress MediaTraining sessions took place at the Canchas Panamericanas as the beach

volleyball tournaments are set to begin tomorrow ©Agencia.Xpress MediaThere were six gold medallists

The Vanuatu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (VASANOC) chief executive James Malau has admitted the COVID-19 pandemic has posed additional challenges for the country's participation in international competitions as it prepares for next year's Pacific Mini Games and Commonwealth Games.

with Friana Kwevira in the women's F46 javelin and Linline Matauatu and Miller Pata in the women's beach

volleyball both securing bronze.It staged the last edition of the Pacific Mini Games in its capital