The Antigua and Barbuda Amateur Volleyball Association (ABAVA) has celebrated the conclusion of the 2026 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) U20 Beach Volleyball Championship in St. Kitts and Nevis, with the national team delivering competitive performances and coaches and officials reaching significant development milestones. According to Antigua News Room, the tournament saw the nation's young athletes compete with determination and national pride against the region's top emerging talent.
On the women's side, the pairing of Faith Gibson and Philisha Burnette demonstrated notable composure throughout the championship. The duo earned a hard-fought 2-1 victory over St. Vincent and the Grenadines (14-21, 22-20, 15-9) before closing their campaign with a 2-1 win over St. Eustatius (21-13, 17-21, 20-18), securing 5th place overall.
The men's pairing of George Freeland and Miguel Peña-Lugo also impressed, showing grit and fighting spirit across several closely contested matches. The pair won the opening set of their semifinal against Dominica before narrowly falling 1-2 (21-8, 15-21, 7-15). In the bronze medal match against host nation St. Kitts and Nevis, they pushed the hosts all the way before losing 0-2 (19-21, 15-21), finishing 4th overall.
Beyond the court, Antigua & Barbuda achieved important milestones in technical development. ABAVA congratulated Coach Braulio Estrada López on successfully completing the ECVA Beach Volleyball Coaches Course, a step that strengthens the country's coaching capacity and long-term athlete development pathway.
Randy St. Jean and Josanne Lewis also successfully completed the ECVA National Beach Volleyball Referee Course, expanding Antigua & Barbuda's pool of internationally qualified volleyball officials.
The Association additionally recognized the contributions of team managers Jamarie James and Rosemarie Simon, crediting their leadership and preparation as integral to the athletes' performances both on and off the court throughout the championship.
