Vega Baja to host continental beach volleyball Olympic qualifier
By THE STAR STAFF
As the region’s top duos fine-tune their preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, continental beach volleyball is set for a premier event on Puerto Rican soil: the NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifier, taking place Nov. 6-8 at the Areia Sports Complex in Vega Baja.
The event will bring together men’s and women’s pairs from across North America, Central America and the Caribbean. It offers a unique opportunity for fans in Puerto Rico to watch some of the continent’s best teams compete at a high level, as the journey toward the Olympics continues to unfold.
Puerto Rico enters the tournament buoyed by recent performances at the eighth stop of the 2026 NORCECA Continental Tour in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic -- where the island’s teams offered further evidence that they are among the most competitive in the region.
In the women’s division, Allanis Navas and Keishlyann Sánchez earned the silver medal after reaching the tournament final. The Puerto Rican pair staged a dramatic comeback in the semifinals against Cuba before finishing as runners-up to the United States.
In the men’s division, meanwhile, Diego Rosich and William Rivera took the bronze medal by defeating the Dominican Republic team in three sets, marking another strong international performance for the Puerto Rican duo.
Navas-Sánchez and Rosich-Rivera are the primary focus of local anticipation for the upcoming event in Vega Baja, which in addition to the Puerto Rican pairs, will feature representatives from various countries within the NORCECA region.
Registered teams – Women’s Division
Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico, Puerto Rico, United States
Registered teams – Men’s Division
Barbados, Bermuda, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, United States.
