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) sensationally achieved this feat in 2013 - Russia's Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Oleg Stoyanovskiy did so in 2019, Anders Mol/Christian Sorum (NOR) in 2022 and most recently, David Schweiner/Ondrej Perusic (CZE) were crowned World champions in 2023 in Tlaxcala, Mexico.
Women
Brazil lead the way with their women’s teams as well – as they have claimed the global crown six times and 18 medals this far. USA follow suit with five, 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. Before that, 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. Most recently, Svenja Müller / Cinja Tillmann (GER) won bronze in Rome in 2022.
European Championships
Men
EuroBeachVolley
As of 2024, Jonas Reckermann of Germany plus Anders Mol and Christian Sørum of Norway are the only players with four European titles to their name. The 2012 Olympic champion achieved this feat twice with Markus Dieckmann (2002, 2004) and twice with Julius Brink (2011 and 2012). The Beach Volley Vikings, on the other hand, claimed gold for four years in a row between 2018 and 2021. Martin and Paul Laciga (SUI), Reinder Nummerdor/Richard Schuil (NED) and Paolo Nicolai/Daniele Lupo (ITA) are three-time EuroBeachVolley champions. Julius Brink is also a three-time European champion – twice with Reckermann and once with Christoph Dieckmann.
Sweden's 'jumping setters' David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig are the reigning European champions following their triumphs in 2022 and 2023 in Munich and Vienna, respectively.
Women