🏐 Tetiana Lazarenko and Sofiia Kurnikova finish in the top 5 at the European Beach Volleyball Championships!

From 12 to 16 August 2026, Stare Jablonki hosted the first-ever CEV EuroBeachVolley on Polish soil. The women's tournament featured 32 teams.

🇺🇦 Ukraine was represented by three pairs: Tetiana Lazarenko / Sofiia Kurnikova (coaches Vasyl Bukin and Liubov Bukina), Yeva Serdiuk / Dariia Romaniuk and Valentyna Davidova / Anhelina Khmil (coach Mykola Babich). All three teams reached the playoffs, with 2025 European champion Tetiana Lazarenko and Sofiia Kurnikova going furthest — to the quarterfinals.

🇺🇦 Lazarenko/Kurnikova topped Pool H without dropping a set, beating Poland's Lunio/Kruczek 2–0 (21–11, 21–14) and fellow Ukrainians Serdiuk/Romaniuk 2–0 (21–17, 21–16). Winning the pool sent them straight to the Round of 16, bypassing the Round of 24.

In the Round of 16, they defeated France's Placette/Richard 2–0 (26–24, 21–17), edging a tight extended first set. In the quarterfinals, they faced top seeds Graudina/Samoilova of Latvia, the eventual bronze medallists, and lost 0–2 (18–21, 13–21).

As a result, Lazarenko/Kurnikova finished fifth, earning 600 ranking points.

🇺🇦 Serdiuk/Romaniuk beat Spain's Vergara/González 2–0 (21–14, 21–17) in pool play. In the Round of 24, they posted a convincing straight-set victory over Switzerland's Vergé-Dépré sisters, 2–0 (21–16, 21–12).

Their run ended in the Round of 16 against Switzerland's Brunner/Hüberli, 0–2 (15–21, 19–21). The Ukrainians finished ninth, earning 460 ranking points.

🇺🇦 Davidova/Khmil opened with a win over Spain's Izuzquiza/Moreno, 2–0 (25–23, 21–15) — the pair that would go on to take silver. They then lost to top seeds Graudina/Samoilova, 0–2 (18–21, 17–21).

In the Round of 24, they fell to France's Vieira/Chamereau, the eventual semifinalists, 0–2 (9–21, 17–21). Davidova and Khmil finished 17th, earning 360 ranking points.

🏆 The 2026 European title went to the Netherlands' Stam/Schoon, with Spain's Izuzquiza/Moreno taking silver and Latvia's Graudina/Samoilova bronze.

👏 Congratulations to our athletes and their coaches Vasyl Bukin, Liubov Bukina and Mykola Babich on a strong showing at the European Championships!

📊 Full tournament results: [view](https://fivb.12ndr.at/tournament?tcode=WEBV2026&timezone=41) 📺 Match videos: [video 1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l30a5CyBQ4) · [video 2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy4GUsszk4s) · [video 3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0HRWkYEuvM)

Keep the ball in play! 🇺🇦 Glory to Ukraine!