Olympic Games
Men
The United States have a record of three gold medals in men’s Beach Volleyball at the Olympic Games. Karch Kiraly became the first – and only to date – man to secure gold in both Volleyball and Beach Volleyball, adding gold on sand in 1996 to Olympic Volleyball titles he won with Team USA in 1984 and 1988. Brazil have two gold medals to their name. Germany’s Jonas Reckermann and Julius Brink are the only European team to have stood on top of an Olympic podium in Beach Volleyball – they did so at London 2012. Apart from Germany, teams from Spain, Switzerland, Latvia, Italy and the Netherlands have also claimed Olympic medals in men’s Beach Volleyball.
Women
USA’s Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh-Jennings are the most successful players in Olympic history with three straight gold medals to their name (2004, 2008 and 2012). Walsh Jennings has a bronze medal on her resume as well, claimed at Rio 2016 along with April Ross. Germany’s Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst became the first European women’s team to win an Olympic medal in Rio 2016.
World Championships
Men
Brazil are by far the most successful nation at the men’s World Championship, with a record of seven titles out of 11 tournaments contested this far since 1997. Emanuel Rego is the only player to have claimed three gold medals – doing so with three different partners. Germany’s Jonas Reckermann and Julius Brink became the first European team to seal a World Championship title doing so in Stavanger in 2009. Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen (NED) are the only other European to boast such an accolade – which they sensationally achieved in 2013.
Women
Brazil lead the way with their women’s teams as well – as they have claimed the global crown 5 times and 16 medals this far. USA follow suit with four, including three in a row from the legendary team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings. Germany’s Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst became the first European team to claim the world title in 2017 in Vienna. Previously, their compatriots Karla Borger and Britta Büthe had won silver in 2013. The only other European medal in the competition dates back to the 2001 edition when Eva Celbova and Sona Novakova (CZE) claimed bronze in Klagenfurt.
European Championships
Men
EuroBeachVolley
As of 2019, Jonas Reckermann of Germany is the only Beach Volleyball player with four European titles to his name. The 2012 Olympic champion achieved this feat twice with Markus Dieckmann (2002, 2004) and twice with Julius Brink (2011 and 2012). A number of other teams have secured the European crown three times. These include Martin and Paul Laciga (SUI), Reinder Nummerdor/Richard Schuil (NED) and Paolo Nicolai/Daniele Lupo (ITA). Julius Brink is also a three-time European champion – twice with Reckermann and once with Christoph Dieckmann.
The Beach Volley Vikings, Anders Mol / Christian Sørum, from Norway were the 2018 EuroBeachVolley Gold medallists.
Women