The Cuban team comprising Damián Gómez and Eblis Veranes clinched the silver medal this Sunday in the men's division at the eighth stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour 2026, held in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, their compatriots Kailin Garrido and Maykelin Drik finished fourth in the women's category.
In the men's final, the Cuban duo fell to the Mexican pair of Carlos Andrés Ayala and Inés Lares in a three-set showdown, with scores of 19-21, 21-12, and 12-15. The first set was intensely contested, Cuba dominated the second set, yet the Mexicans regained the upper hand in the third to secure the gold.
Before advancing to the final, Gómez and Veranes defeated Dominican players Hayerling De Jesús and Oscar Martínez in the semifinals with a clean 2-0 victory, sporting scores of 21-15 and 21-13, not dropping a single set.
The men's bronze was claimed by Puerto Ricans Diego Rosich and William Rivera, who made a comeback against the same Dominicans, De Jesús and Martínez, to win 2-1 (17-21, 21-13, 15-12).
On the women's side, Garrido and Drik reached the semifinals, where they were bested by Puerto Rico's Keishlyann Sánchez and Allanis Navas in three sets. In the bronze match, they faced Mexico's Susana Torres and Abril Flores, succumbing again 1-2, with scores of 17-21, 21-18, and 12-15, thus missing the podium.
Their earlier success against the same Mexican team in the group stage, with a 2-1 victory (19-21, 21-19, 15-9), highlighted the competitive parity between the pairs.
The women's gold was captured by Americans Ella Connor and Erin Inskeep, who dominated Puerto Rico in the final, winning both sets 21-12.
The significance of Gómez and Veranes' silver is magnified by the current state of Cuban beach volleyball. Earlier in February 2026, the prominent duo Noslen Díaz and Jorge Alayo parted ways with INDER due to unpaid international prize money exceeding $107,000, elevating Gómez and Veranes to the forefront of men's Cuban representation in the circuit.
This isn't the first time the pair has reached such heights on the continental stage; they also secured silver in the NORCECA Tour final held in December 2025 in Juan Dolio, competing against Canadians Shackter and Pickett.
The season is far from over. The final stop of the NORCECA Tour 2026 is scheduled in Juan Dolio from December 14 to 18, offering double points and playing a crucial role in qualification for the Pan American Games in Lima 2027, where NORCECA will allocate seven men's and seven women's spots.
Cuban Beach Volleyball Achievements and Upcoming Competitions
Who won the men's silver medal at the NORCECA Beach Volleyball event in Punta Cana?
The Cuban duo Damián Gómez and Eblis Veranes secured the silver medal.
How did the Cuban women's team perform in the NORCECA Beach Volleyball event?
Kailin Garrido and Maykelin Drik finished in fourth place after losing in the semifinals and the bronze match.
What is the significance of the final NORCECA Tour stop in 2026?
The final stop offers double points and is crucial for qualifying for the Pan American Games in Lima 2027, where NORCECA will distribute seven spots for both men's and women's teams.