Norlen Diaz and Jorge Luis Alayo

Havana, July 25 (RHC) - Cubans Norlen Diaz and Jorge Luis Alayo added their first two victories in the Barnaul Open, corresponding to the Russian Beach Volleyball League 2025.

The main Antillean duo started their passage through group B with a 2-0 victory (21-13, 21-11) over the second duo of the Moscow Academy, made up of Shekunov and Chuprinov.

In the following match, also in two sets (21-18, 21-0), they defeated Panchenko and Bakhnar, leaders of that center, who withdrew due to the injury of one of their members when the second set was 14-0.

Diaz and Alayo won gold in the Moscow Open and silver in the Petersburg phase. In the current stage, south of Western Siberia, they hope to climb the podium again.

In the Russian capital they won undefeated with 2-1 credit against the strong combination of Oleg Stoyanovsky-Ilya Leshukov (21-11, 16-21, 15-12), but the latter took revenge 2-0 in the St. Petersburg leg (21-14, 21-18).

Francisco Alvarez Cutiño's students are preparing for their main objective of the year, the World Championships in Adelaide, Australia, from November 14 to 23.

Prior to their six-stage Russian league tour, Diaz and Alayo placed ninth in the elite Pro Tour tournament held in Gstaad, Switzerland.

When they finish in the Eurasian giant, they will take part in the elite tournament in Hamburg, Germany, from August 27 to 31.

Source: JIT