Poland 1 are through to the gold medal match at the inaugural 2019 Beach ParaVolley World Series Pingtan Open in the inaugural 2019 Beach ParaVolley World Series Pingtan Openin the inaugural 2019 Beach ParaVolley World Series Pingtan Open ©World ParaVolle

The United States and Poland 1 teams secured spots at the inaugural 2019 Beach ParaVolley Standing World Series Open final after dramatic victories today in PIngtan, China.

The American trio of Chris Seilkop, Dave Newkirk and Eric Duda rallied from a set down to beat Slovakians Rudolf Makovini, Martin Dubovsky and Juraj Kucej 16-21, 21-5, 15-12.

Poland 1’s Adam Stepien, Artur Wasowicz and Rafal Wojtowiczoutplayed fellow Poles Bartolomiej Synoweic, Jacek Molinski and Michal Wypych 21-9, 19-21, 15-10 to earn their shot at gold.

The gold medal match between United States and Poland 1 is scheduled for tomorrow after the bronze medal match between Slovakia and Poland 2.

Australia’s Nic Kaiser, Nick Coburn and Bradley Barclay beat India 2’s Naresshdayav Ragula, Mahesh Deeravath and Virendra Singh 21-4, 21-19 to earn a fifth-place play-off with India 1’s Datar Deewarata, Abhishek Aluwala and Sahir Ali Mallick, who won by forfeit against Germany.

United States have reached tomorrow's gold medal match at the inaugural 2019 Beach ParaVolley World Series Pingtan Open ©World ParaVolley
United States have reached tomorrow's gold medal match at the inaugural 2019 Beach ParaVolley World Series Pingtan Open ©World ParaVolley

The fifth place play-off will be first on tomorrow, followed by the women’s final match between the United States and China.

Meanwhile, the Slovakian team headed by coach Helena Hankova expressed their strong support for World ParaVolley’s bid for the Beach ParaVolley discipline’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games sports programme.

“We always keep in touch with activities of the World ParaVolley and other countries, but our main goal now is to support the World ParaVolley and get that mindset of making this discipline a Paralympic sport – the way we did in supporting sitting volleyball,” Hankova said.