Aztec Assault: Mexico's Beach Volleyball Duo Crushes Rivals

Juan Virgen and Ricardo Galindo advanced to the final of the Tlaxcala 2024 Beach Volleyball Pre-Olympic, so this afternoon they will compete for the place and last chance to attend the Olympic Games in Paris.

The Rio 2016 Olympian and Galindo arrived at the final day with great momentum, after their last victories in which they showed great reaction capacity to come from behind and earn their place in the semifinals to be held at the Plaza de Toros Jorge 'El Ranchero' Aguilar.

The Salvadoran brothers Christopher and Yoel Guardado, revelation duo of the tournament, were their last great test in the final and represented a latent threat for their dynamism and electrifying combinations demonstrated throughout the tournament; however, the physical dominance of the Aztecs was key in the development of the match.

Galindo's blocking was the main weapon of the local team, complemented by Virgen's fierce and uncontestable spikes, which gave them an early and irreversible advantage that ended with a 2-0 national victory (21-13 and 21-9).

"The sensations are good, I think the objectives are being fulfilled, and we are going step by step, because the last matches were complicated, but we managed to win. It is important to take a calm game, and we constantly control it, that is good to arrive with a better performance in the afternoon.

"There is nothing left but to give it our all, since the last three years of this cycle that was short, we really trained for this game. We are going to face it with a lot of grit, intelligence and patience because it will not be easy," said Virgen.

The Canadians Samuel Schachter/Daniel Dearing, team 24 of the world ranking, will be the opponents in the grand final (18:00 hours) for the ticket to Paris 2024; one hour before, the women's place will also be played in a Mexico vs. Canada clash: Atenas Gutierrez/Susana Torres vs. Heather Bansley/Sophie Bukovec.