DTS Liqui Fruit Spring tourney a resounding success

Beach volleyball
Mariud Ngula
The DTS Liqui Fruit Beach Volleyball Spring Tournament, held last weekend at the Deutscher Turn und Sportverein (DTS), was a resounding success.

The competition saw players in both the under-19 and senior categories showcase their talent, vying for volleyball glory. It saw a generous sponsorship of N$10 800 from Liqui Fruit, which went towards the participants’ prizes.



Senior Men’s division

The senior men’s division delivered some of the tournament's most intense action. The top-seeded duo of Jura Krafft and Jan Erik Sack triumphed in the finals after a hard-fought journey.

In the semifinals, Krafft and Sack took on Luca Kesselmann and Conrad Johannes, splitting the first two sets, which led to an exciting tiebreaker. The tiebreaker went into extra points, with Krafft and Sack narrowly winning 18-16 to advance to the finals.

In the final match, the winners comfortably defeated Thomas Shilumbu and Leopold Immanuel with a 2-0 set victory, securing the overall title.

The scheduled third-place playoff between Kesselmann with partner Johannes and Fidden Silinda with partner Johannes Militzer was forfeited due to exhaustion after a grueling day of competition.



Senior Women’s division

The senior women’s final was dominated by the experienced duo of Teja Lück and Rosi Hennes, who defeated Lea Pumi Nangombe and Taleni Saltiel in straight sets (2-0).

Lück and Hennes displayed excellent coordination and strategy throughout the match. Nangombe and Saltiel, who had previously eliminated Pia Lück and Maike van Doorn in the semifinals, could not replicate their form in the final, settling for second place.

Meriam Mendos and Meameno Heita rounded out the podium in third place.



Under-19 Boys division

In the under-19 boys category, the team of Juri von Wentzel and Amani Beukes emerged victorious after a stellar performance. They were followed by second-placed Leander Müller and Jowan Bezuidenhoudt.



Under-19 Girls division

The under-19 girls category saw Isabel von Wietersheim and Nora Rogl claiming the top spot, with Paula Ritzer and Clara van Heerden finishing as runners-up. The third-place honours went to the team of Haddasah Swartz and Lisa Hess.



Crucial to volleyball community

Tournament director Heiko Kesselmann said the event was of vital importance to the volleyball community, as it provided a platform for players to showcase their skills and improve through a competitive environment.

“The tournament results are also crucial for determining eligibility for national and international competitions,” he said.

He emphasised that the player’s performances are closely reviewed throughout the year, allowing careful selection when choosing teams to represent Namibia in international competitions.

– mariud@nsh.com.na