Sun, Sand and Smithfield
In less than two years, thousands of tonnes of golden sand will be shipped into Birmingham, as beach volleyball comes to the Commonwealth Games for the second time.
That’s right – we’re bringing the beach to Birmingham! And whilst we can’t control whether the sun will grace us with its presence, what we do know is that we’ll be joined by best-in-class beach volleyball players and thousands of spectators.
Beach volleyball originated in the 1920s from the sandy shores of California and has gone on to become one of the world’s most popular team sports – and it can be played anywhere!
The Smithfield site, at the heart of the landlocked city of Birmingham, will be quite a contrast to the sport’s debut at the Gold Coast 2018 but the venue will undergo a transformation to provide over nine days of beach volleyball, where spectators can enjoy an electric atmosphere with hours of incredible sporting-action.
Sue Storey, Chief Executive of Volleyball England, said:
“After so much hard work, it’s fantastic to be able to reveal the beach volleyball tournament will be held at Smithfield. Beach volleyball is a fast-paced game of athleticism, teamwork and tactics and I know it will be a highlight of the Commonwealth Games in two years’ time.
“Our hard work will continue as we capitalise on this huge opportunity to enhance the sport’s profile and inspire future generations to pick up a volleyball.
“With an impressive group of rising stars, I’m also excited about what we can achieve in 2022. England came so close to a medal at the 2018 Games and we’ll be doing everything we can to reach the podium on home soil this time around.”
Beach volleyball consists of two teams of two players, positioned either side of the net on a 16m x 8m sand court. Each team is allowed three hits per side, meaning a team may touch the ball no more than three times before sending it over the net. The match is played to the best of three sets and a set is won by being the first team to reach 21 points (with a two-point advantage).
With 40cm of sand underfoot, players must demonstrate high energy, impeccable athleticism and use of tactics and technique to become medal winners.
We can’t wait to see this exhilarating sport come to Birmingham. Will you be there?
